NEWARK, NJ – Junior pitcher Elena Morge lost a pitcher's duel to Rowan junior Jackie Sasko as the Profs earned a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep, 4-0 and 11-4, over Rutgers-Newark on Alumni Field.
NCAA Statistics: Rowan 4, R-N 0 Rowan 11, R-N 4
Sasko (17-2) posted a three-hit shutout, stricking out six and walking only one to earn the victory over Morge who gave up five hits and one earned run while striking out three and walking three.
RAIDER VISION HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Junior centerfielder Kristina Brenner slapped a double over the head of the Raider third baseman to open the game before sophomore rightfielder Heidi Smith hammered a triple into the right centerfield gap to give the Profs (28-5, NJAC 11-3) a quick 1-0 lead. But Morge settled down and the game went to the seventh with the same score.
The #18 nationally-ranked Profs broke open the game with three unearned runs in the top of the seventh off a walk, two errors and a passed ball.
Smith was the only player in game one with two hits and she also drove in a run in the seventh with a ground ball to third.
Seniors Nikki Spampinato and Pico Rodriguez and freshman designated player Emily Ibarra got the Raider hits.
In game two, Brenner and junior designated player Melanie Sura collected three hits apiece to fuel the Rowan attack while Smith went two for three with two RBI and three runs scored.
A Smith triple and a double by Sura brought home runs in the three-run first inning for the Profs. Sura also had an RBI single in the two-run second and an RBI triple in the two-run fourth.
Freshman catcher Shannon Davis went two for three, driving in two runs in the fifth inning with a hit down the rightfield line. Sophomore rightfielder Sam Weer went two for four with an RBI infield single in the first inning. Spampinato drove in the other Raider run in the third inning with a double.
Rutgers-Newark (5-31, NJAC 0-4) hosts The College of New Jersey on Tuesday at 3 p.m. in an NJAC doubleheader that is also Senior Day for five players while Rowan will host Rutgers-Camden at the same time.
