Susan G. Komen

NEWARK, N.J. (April 22, 2015) – The Rutgers-Newark softball program will host Baruch College on Thursday in the team's final home regular-season doubleheader of the year.
 
The Scarlet Raiders will be donning pink jerseys and pink socks in support of breast cancer awareness and research and the Department of Athletics will also be honoring a trio of Scarlet Raiders playing in their last regular-season home games on Alumni Field.
 
Game one will start at 4 p.m. and will be preceded a ceremonial first pitch by Fran Donde, mother of senior Toniann Donde, who is a breast cancer survivor.
 
The Scarlet Raiders will be collecting donations between the games and all proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation whose mission is "To save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering others, ensuring quality care for all and investing in science to find the cures."
 
After game one and before game two, Rutgers-Newark will also honor sophomore Anna Carlson and seniors Toniann Donde and Vannessa Romero. Carlson – a sophomore – will be departing Rutgers-Newark for Rutgers-New Brunswick in the fall to complete her degree in engineering as planned. Romero is a junior eligibility wise but will be graduating this May. The Garfield, N.J. native has started in 26-of-32 games for the Scarlet Raiders this season, batting .273 and playing an excellent shortstop all year. Donde is the team's starting first baseman and has made 32-of-32 starts for the Scarlet Raiders in 2015. The transfer from Baruch College was All-NJAC in 2014 and is currently hitting .333 with 13 extra-base hits.
 
As a team, the Scarlet Raiders have won 6-of-7 dating back to a game two win over Hunter College on April 15. The Scarlet Raiders have won their last four NJAC contests with sweeps of Richard Stockton and New Jersey City University and will look to move closer to the .500 mark against Baruch Thursday.