JERSEY CITY, NJ – Rutgers-Newark battled but fell short twice by the score of 8-6 to New Jersey City in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader at the Gerrity Athletic Complex.
BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
NJCU 8, Rutgers-Newark 6
NJCU 8, Rutgers-Newark 6
I
N THE OPENER, freshman shortstop
Victoria Sovak's 3-run triple highlighted a 6-run second inning as the Scarlet Raiders (9-14, NJAC 0-6) capitalized on three errors to seize the early lead against the Gothic Knights (11-13, NJAC 2-2).
But Gothic Knight junior pitcher Ashley O'Beirne (6-8) allowed only that triple until giving up a single and a triple in the seventh to stall the Raiders and allow NJCU to recover.
Raider sophomore
Brianna Alicchio (5-5) allowed just three earned runs and seven hits while striking out one and walking no one. But two unearned runs in the third got the Gothic Knights within striking range before trouble arrived in the fifth inning.
A 2-run homer by senior shortstop Megan Ginter started a 6-run outburst which decided the game. Ginter got three of the Gothic Knights' seven hits.
In the seventh, junior third baseman
Monica Liotto singled to start off the inning, only to be erased by a double-play before junior first baseman
Monica Bagan tripled to center field.
IN GAME TWO, sophomore second baseman
Tiara Santi's 2-run single ignited a 5-run rally which gave the Raiders a short-lived 6-5 lead.
But starting pitcher Jess Mecerino (5-5), who left the circle for O'Beirne in the fifth, reentered as the pitcher with two outs in the sixth and got the final out after walking the bases loaded.
The senior righty got the win when the Gothic Knights scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth on just one hit and a costly throwing error.
Sophomore
Gabby Spinella and Liotto had two hits apiece to pace the Raiders' 8-hit attack.
Raider sophomore
Liane Drastal (4-9) gave up just four earned runs while yielding nine hits and five walks to get the loss.
Rutgers-Newark hosts Montclair State in an NJAC twinbill on Tuesday at 3 p.m. on Alumni Field.
