Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers University-Newark came painfully close to an upset of a nationally-ranked New Jersey Athletic Conference foe for the second time in nine days as Kean University escaped Alumni Field with a 6-2 and 5-4 doubleheader sweep.
 
IN GAME TWO, the Scarlet Raiders (9-17, NJAC 0-8) took a 4-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on three Cougar errors only to give the four runs back in the top of the seventh with three miscues of their own in a heart-breaking loss.
 
Sophomore second baseman Kelsey Lucas delivered a 2-run, bases-loaded single in the sixth to ignite the Raiders' 4-run outburst.  A ground ball to second base by freshman third baseman Anna Carlson plated the third run before senior catcher Gabby Spinella capped the spree with an RBI single through the middle of the infield.
 
But Rutgers-Newark sophomore starter Jess Cannon (2-4) ran into trouble in the seventh in the form of four Kean hits and three Raider errors.  A 2-run ground rule double by junior Courtney Yard tied the score before an error on a fly ball to right field plated what proved to be the winning run.
 
Junior righthander Rebecca Rotola (10-2), who went the distance for the Cougars, got the Raiders in order in the bottom of the seventh.  Rotola yielded just two singles while striking out four.
 
Cannon scattered 11 hits while striking out two and walking no one before giving way to freshman Katie Boyd with one away in the seventh.  Boyd walked the first two batters that she faced to load the bases before getting out of the jam with a ground ball out and a pop up.
 
It marked the fourth 1-run NJAC loss for the Raiders this season.  Rutgers-Newark fell to No. 2 ranked Montclair State on April 1, 4-3, before getting edged by No. 25 Kean (21-5, NJAC 7-1) today.
 
IN GAME ONE, senior first baseman Liane Drastal went two for three to pace the Raiders against Yard (11-3) who allowed just six hits.  Drastal's lead-off double in the sixth was the only extra-base hit for Rutgers-Newark.
 
Kean used a pair of 3-run outburst to post the win.  A 2-run single by freshman second baseman Emily Sabo ignited a rally in the second inning before a 2-run triple by senior shortstop Kelly Morehead finished the scoring in the fourth.
 
The Raiders scored in the second inning when Drastal led off with a single and scored on a 2-out bunt single by sophomore leftfielder Krista Casale.
 
Lucas walked to lead off the third inning, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a ground ball to shortstop by Carlson and scored in a single to centerfield by Spinella to trim the Cougar lead to 3-2.
 
Rutgers-Newark visits New Jersey City Saturday at 1 p.m. for another NJAC doubleheader.