NEWARK, N.J. (April 16, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team split a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader with first place The College of New Jersey Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field in Newark.
 
Sophomore pitcher Kelly Yusko was marvelous in the circle in the opener, and the duo of freshman Samantha Hoffman and sophomore Kayla Gallo provided just about all the offense the Scarlet Raiders would need.
 
Rutgers-Newark moves to 13-15 overall and 3-7 in the conference, while TCNJ is now 20-11 overall and 7-3 in the NJAC.
 
The Scarlet Raiders return to conference play Tuesday when they host NJAC rival Montclair State University on Alumni Field beginning at 3 p.m.
 
Rutgers-Newark 3, TCNJ 0 – Game 1
Hoffman tripled to left-center with one out in the bottom the second, and Gallo executed a squeeze bunt to perfection, staking the hosts to a 1-0 lead.
 
Yusko did a masterful job working around a two-base error to start the third inning, stranding a Lion at third base, and in the fourth she needed just nine pitches to retire the side.
 
It was the Hoffman-Gallo pair combing for the second run of the game in the fourth to put Newark up 2-0 as Hoffman dropped down a bunt single and Gallo doubled into the left field corner to drive her in. Gallo came in to score on a safety squeeze from sophomore Elizabeth Marflak, giving the Raiders a 3-0 lead, and a marvelous defensive play from senior shortstop Kelsey Lucas kept TCNJ scoreless heading to the bottom half of the fifth inning.
 
It was all Yusko and the Scarlet Raider defense the rest of the way as Yusko worked around a double in the seventh and the "D" made the plays it needed to lock up the big win.
 
Yusko earned the win in the circle, improving to 10-10 on the season with the complete-game shutout. She walked one, struck out two and allowed just four TCNJ hits. The second-year standout also was on base twice, working a pair of walks.
 
Rutgers-Newark had four hits in the opener, and Hoffman led the way, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Gallo was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI, and sophomore third baseman Morgan Walizer was 1-for-3.
 
It was only the third time the Lions had been shut out this season and first time in NJAC play.
 
TCNJ 8, Rutgers-Newark 2 – Game 2
The Lions jumped out in front with two runs in the first inning, and TCNJ's Sam Platt allowed just one hit in the first three innings to give her team a chance to extend the lead.
 
The Lions added two tallies in the fourth to open a 4-0 margin, and Platt worked around a bases loaded jam in the bottom half.
 
Yusko – who took over for sophomore Morgan Walizer in the fourth – sent down the Lions in order in the fifth, and the Scarlet pushed across two runs in the bottom half. One-out singles from Marflak and senior Kelsey Lucas set the table, with Marflak coming across on a Yusko hit, and Lucas scoring on a knock from freshman Liesel Johnson.
 
TCNJ was able to get both runs back in the sixth, and Platt closed it out to improve to 12-2 on the season. The sophomore scattered eight hits and struck out six.
 
Walizer took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) in 3.1 innings of work, with Yusko allowing four runs in 3.2 innings.
 
At the plate, Johnson and Yusko had identical 2-for-4 with an RBI lines, while Marflak and Lucas each went 1-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Hoffman finished the doubleheader with three hits, going 1-for-3 in the second game.