NEWARK, N.J. (April 30, 2016) – Sophomore Kelly Yusko tossed a marvelous game one to help the Rutgers University-Newark softball team to a New Jersey Athletic Conference split with 14th-ranked Rowan University Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field in the regular-season for finale for both sides.
 
Rutgers-Newark earned a 2-1 triumph in the opener, and Rowan picked up the split with a hard-fought 3-2 win in the second game.
 
The Scarlet Raiders finish the regular season with a record of 7-11 in the NJAC and 21-19 overall. R-N sets team records for conference and overall victories in 2016 and will be eligible to play in the 2016 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship. Berths for the ECAC Tournament will be announced on Monday, May 9.
 
Rutgers-Newark closed the regular-season by winning five its final six regular-season contests, sweeping twin bills against New Jersey City University and Albertus Magnus and splitting with nationally-ranked Rowan.
 
Rowan closes its regular season with a record of 32-8 (15-3 NJAC) and will be the No. 1 seed in the NJAC Tournament.

Between games, Rutgers-Newark honored senior captain Kelsey Lucas as part of the annual Senior Day festivities.
 
Rutgers-Newark 2, Rowan 1 – Game 1
Pitching dominated the start of the game, as Yusko kept a powerful Rowan offense off the board through four, allowing just one hit, one walk and one hit batter. She was even able to retire one hitter twice due to an illegal pitch call, also working around a two-on, two-out jam in the fourth.
 
Senior Beth Ann Hyland was perfect the first time through the order, sending the side down one-two-three in the fourth as well.
 
Rowan tallied two hits in the fifth, scoring on a run a throwing error with two outs to take the lead.
 
Rutgers-Newark came back to take the lead in the bottom half, getting back-to-back singles from sophomore Sam Held and freshman Samantha Hoffman to put runners on first and second with one out. After the second out of the inning, freshman Brittany Robertson blooped a base hit in front of the pitcher to load the bases for sophomore Morgan Walizer. Walizer hit a hard ground ball to first that was misplayed, allowing Held to score the tying run. The Rowan second baseman ran over to get the carom and her flip to first went out of play which allowed Hoffman to cross with the lead run.
 
Yusko sent down the Profs in order in the sixth, and worked around a two-out hit in the seventh to lock down the upset win for Rutgers-Newark. She scattered four hits and allowed just one unearned run, improving to 15-13 on the season in what was arguably the most impressive performance of her career.
 
Hyland suffered her fourth loss of the season against 18 wins (18-4), giving up two unearned runs on four hits. She struck out four.
 
Lucas (1-for-3), Held (1-for-3, R), Hoffman (1-for-2, R) and Robertson had the four Rutgers-Newark hits.
 
Rowan 3, Rutgers-Newark 2 – Game 2
After a scoreless first frame, Rowan took the lead in the second with two runs on four hits – three of which did not leave the infield. The Profs added a run in the third, and the scored remained 3-0 through top of the sixth.
 
Yusko went the first 2.1 innings for the Scarlet Raiders, with Walizer coming on in relief and doing an excellent job.
 
Senior Allison Nolan held the Scarlet Raider offense at bay, giving up a single to Yusko in the first and a single to Hoffman in the fifth, but Newark broke through in the sixth. Sophomore Elizabeth Marflak singled with one out, and an error on a fielder's choice ground ball put two runners on. Yusko was next, mashing a two-run double to right-center to make it a 3-2 game heading to the seventh inning.
 
Sophomore Kayla Gallo and Walizer each singled in the seventh to put runners at the corners with two out. Marflak was next, making good contact against Hyland – who came on to face Marflak – but the Rowan second baseman was able to make a strong play in the hole to end the game.
 
Walizer was excellent for Newark, going 4.2 innings and allowing no runs on three hits with a strikeout. She did not factor into the decision. Yusko took the loss (15-14), giving up three runs and seven hits in her 2.1 innings after a masterful performance in the opener.
 
Rutgers-Newark picked up six hits in the second game. Yusko went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Hoffman, Gallo and Walizer all went 1-for-3. Marflak was 1-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Nolan improved to 5-0 with the win, going 6.2 solid innings for Rowan. She allowed two runs (one earned) and six hits, striking out five.
 
The Profs tallied 10 hits in the second game, getting two apiece from right fielder Morgan Smith and third baseman Nicole Paiotti.