WAYNE, NJ – Rutgers-Newark stunned William Paterson, 2-1, in the second game to split a tightly-contested New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on the Pioneer Softball Field.

BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
William Paterson 2, Rutgers-Newark 1
Rutgers-Newark 2, William Paterson 1

IN THE SECOND GAME, sophomore Liane Drastal coaxed pinch hitter Kelsey Hand to pop up to shortstop Victoria Sovak with the tying run at third base to end a wild seventh inning and preserve a win for sophomore Brianna Alicchio.

Sovak was the offensive spark, producing both Raider runs. She went all the way to third after an outfield error on a single to lead off the game and scoring a ground ball to second junior third baseman Monica Liotto to stake the Raiders to (12-17, NJAC 1-9) to the early lead. Her 1-out home run to left in the sixth proved to be the game winning hit.

Alicchio (7-6) hurled a five hitter, but the Pioneers (22-6, NJAC 7-3) hammered two doubles around a hit batter in the seventh to nearly tie the score.  But on the second double, sophomore right fielder Tina Zaggia hit Liotto with a throw which was bobbled.  WPU centerfield Raquel Roder, who was at third, tried to score the tying run, but Liotto gunned her down at the plate to put the Raiders an out away from a win.

Drastal, who had pitched the first game, came on to face Hand for the final out.

IN THE OPENER, Drastal (5-11) dueled Hand (6-1) in the circle, but the Raiders fell just one run short.

Drastal struck out three and walked no one while yielding nine hits while Hand allowed just three hits, walked one and struck out three.

Junior leftfielder Nicole Odell doubled to left center field to plate junior first baseman Monica Bagan in the top of the seventh, but Hand notched a strikeout before coaxing a fly ball to right field to escape the threat.

Three singles and an error led to William Paterson's two runs in the fifth.  The Pioneers stranded runners on third base in the second, third and sixth innings to keep things close.

Rutgers-Newark host Rowan at 3 p.m. on Tuesday on Alumni Field in an NJAC doubleheader.