STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. (March 8, 2016) - The Rutgers University-Newark softball team was defeated in both ends of a doubleheader at the College of Staten Island Tuesday, falling in the opener, 4-2, and suffering a 5-0 defeat in the nightcap.

The Scarlet Raiders drop to 0-2 on the young season, and the Dolphins improve to 5-5.

Sophomore Kelly Yusko led Rutgers-Newark at the plate, going 4-for-8 in the doubleheader. Yusko and sophomore Morgan Walizer were solid in the circle, allowing three and four earned runs in complete games, respectively.

The Scarlet Raiders will get back to work before heading south to Clermont, Florida for their Spring Break Trip which opens with a game against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Saturday at 5 p.m.

Staten Island 4, Rutgers-Newark 2 - Game 1
Sophomore catcher Sam Held and Yusko each had two hits in the opener, with Held going 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored and Yusko finishing 2-for-4.

Yusko (0-1) went the distance on the mound, allowing four runs (three earned) on 10 hits. The second-year Raider struck out eight and walked a pair (0-1).

Junior Jacqueline Catuela allowed two runs in a complete-game victory for the Dolphins. She scattered six Raider hits and struck out four.

A one-out single from Held started things in the top half of the first for the Scarlet Raiders, and she moved to second on a Yusko groundout. Senior shortstop Kelsey Lucas was next, reaching on an error that allowed Held to cross the plate with the first run of the year.

CSI tied the score in the second and went ahead with two in the third, but R-N trimmed the lead to 3-2 with a single run in the fourth.

Walizer walked, and sophomore second baseman Kayla Gallo moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Freshman Brittany Robertson came through with a bunt single to put runners at first and third, and Walizer came in to score on an error.

The Dolphins were able to get the run right back in the bottom of the inning, and despite the Scarlet Raiders putting a runner on in the fifth and sixth, the score remained 4-2 heading to the seventh.

In the final frame, a Lucas single put the tying runs on base with one out, but CSI battled out of trouble to earn the victory.

Staten Island 5, Rutgers-Newark 0 - Game 2
The Dolphins pitching limited R-N chances in game two as the guests received two hits from Yusko and one from Roberton, with sophomore left fielder Elizabeth Marflak pocketing a pair of free passes.

Walizer (0-1) took the loss in the circle for the Raiders, going all six innings and giving up four earned runs (five total) and six hits. The sophomore walked four and struck out one. Sophomore Nicolette Trapani (2-1) struck out two in a complete-game win for the hosts.

R-N put two runners on in the second, sixth and seventh innings, but CSI did what it had to, getting key outs to stay in front and ultimately close out their fifth win of the season.

The Dolphins scored a single run in the first inning with an unearned marker, and then scored four in the fifth on five hits for the final margin. To that point, Walizer was nearly untouchable, allowing just one infield hit and one runner to reach second base after the first inning.

NOTES:
- Freshman Brittany Robertson tallied the first two hits of her career.
- Sam Held, Kelly Yusko and Robertson all reached base in both games.