Highlights
NEWARK, N.J. (April 21, 2015) – Junior
Kelsey Lucas homered and had six RBI's and freshman
Kelly Yusko had six hits to go along with a win and a save in the circle as the Rutgers-Newark softball team swept visiting New Jersey City University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday in Newark.
The Scarlet Raiders have now won a program-record four-straight NJAC games and improve to 14-18 overall and 5-11 in the conference. NJCU drops to 2-26 and 0-16 in the conference.
Game 1Rutgers-Newark scored one run in the first and one more in the third before scoring 12 runs in an excellent fourth inning for a 14-0 lead and win as Yusko retired the side in order in the fifth for her second-straight complete-game shutout.
Yusko has allowed no runs in her last two starts, allowing just eight hits over the span of 12 innings. The reigning NJAC Rookie of the Week is now 9-7 on the season.
Sophomore
Anna Carlson tripled with one out in the first and came around to score on an RBI single from Yusko. In the third, Yusko was the Scarlet Raider to cross the plate, leading off with a single and scoring on a two-out base hit off the bat of Lucas.
Rutgers-Newark scored 12 runs in the fourth, sending 18 women to the plate. After an out, catcher
Sam Held singled, Carlson walked and Yusko ripped a line shot up the middle to load the bases. A fielder's choice allowed the first run to score, and a two-run single from second baseman
Kayla Gallo made the score 5-0. Lucas followed with a three-run homer to left – her third of the season – which was a line drive deposited four rows into the bleachers in left-center field. Pinch hitter
Shirley Abbelard came through with a two-run single, and Carlson was next with an RBI double. Yusko and first baseman
Toniann Donde made it three-straight doubles and after a pair of free passes, shortstop
Vannessa Romero drove in Donde with a single.
Yusko limited NJCU to three hits in the circle while recording four of her own in a marvelous 4-for-4 performance, adding three runs and two RBI's to her line. Carlson finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI, with Gallo going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Lucas led the team with four RBI's, going 2-for-3 and scoring a run as well.
Game 2Carlson got the offense started for the Raiders in the first inning of game two with a single, and Yusko made it five hits in five at-bats with a base knock of her own. Donde was hit by a pitch to load the sacs, and Lucas followed with a sacrifice fly.
Starting pitcher
Morgan Walizer walked with one out in the second, and scored after a two-out single from Held, with Held crossing the plate on a line drive double to center field from Carlson.
Lucas drove in the Rutgers-Newark run in the third inning with a groundout to second base, plating Yusko who led off the inning with a double down the left field line. It was the sixth RBI of the doubleheader for Lucas and sixth hit for Yusko.
Starting pitcher
Morgan Walizer rolled through the first three innings without allowing a single hit. The first two NJCU base runners reached in the fourth – one on an error, one on a base hit – but Walizer secured three quick outs to avoid any damage.
The Gothic Knight offense made a game of it with four runs on five hits in the fifth inning to pull within three at 7-4. The big blast came off the bat of shortstop Thalia Garcia who hit a grand slam to left-center.
Walizer retired the side in the fifth before Yusko came on to get the final six outs for the Scarlet Raiders to earn her first save of the season. Walizer got the win and improved to 5-5, going 5.0 innings and allowing four runs on six hits. Yusko – who went seven scoreless innings Tuesday – has not allowed a single run in her last 16 innings pitched.
Carlson led the Scarlet Raiders in game two, going 3-for-4 with three RBI's. She was great all afternoon, totaling five hits is seven at-bats. Held was 3-for-4 with a run scored and Yusko went 2-for-3 to finish her day 6-for-7. Rutgers-Newark totaled 10 hits in game two and 14 for the doubleheader as the Scarlet Raiders have now won six of their last seven outings.
R-N will return action Thursday on Alumni Field against Baruch College. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.
