Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WAYNE, NJ – Rutgers University-Newark suffered a pair of 1-run losses at William Paterson in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader on the Pioneer Softball Field.
 
IN THE OPENING GAME, an unearned run in the seventh gave William Paterson a reprieve in a heart-breaking 2-1, 8-inning loss.
 
Senior lefthander Brianna Alicchio carried a 2-hit shutout into the bottom of the seventh before a 1-out infield error set up a game-tying RBI double by sophomore leftfielder Kelsey Wimmershoff.  After Alicchio gave up another double to junior second baseman Christina Austin to put runners at second and third, sophomore reliever Jess Cannon came on to get out of the inning.
 
In the extra inning, WPU freshman rightfielder Nicole Fryer delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly to center field to end the game.
 
Rutgers-Newark went ahead in the fifth inning when junior Toniann Donde hammered a double to centerfield, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior shortstop Tiara Santi and scored on a single down the left field line by freshman third baseman Anna Carlson.
 
Alicchio gave up just four hits and no earned runs in 6-1/3 innings while Cannon (2-2) absorbed the loss despite not giving up a hit.
 
Sophomore righthander Chelsea Batelli worked seven full innings for the Pioneers, scattering seven hits and striking out one, before freshman Gabrielle Castelli came on to get the victory with three straight ground ball outs in the eighth.
 
IN THE NIGHTCAP, the Raiders left the tying run on second base in the seventh as the Pioneers (14-4, NJAC 4-0) eeked out a sweep with a 3-2 win.
 
Rutgers-Newark took an early 1-0 lead when Donde singled to lead off the game, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Santi and scored on a ground ball to the shortstop by Carlson.
 
WPU notched runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to take control of the game and chase Raider freshman starting pitcher Katie Boyd (4-6) before Cannon came on to get the final two outs.
 
In the top of the seventh, freshman centerfielder Eleni Lutas walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Donde, advanced to third on an infield single by Santi and scored on an infield error to slice the Pioneer lead to one.
 
Castelli (8-0) picked up her second win of the day in relief by getting a ground ball to shortstop to end the threat.
 
Boyd scattered nine hits and walked one in 5-1/3 innings.
 
Santi led the Rutgers-Newark attack with two of the team's seven hits.
 
Junior Lauren Bogart was the only Pioneer with two hits.
 
Rutgers-Newark (9-13, NJAC 0-4) visits Richard Stockton on Saturday at 1 p.m. for another NJAC twin bill.