Highlights

NEWARK, N.J. (April 13, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team picked up a split with non-conference foe Stevens Institute of Technology behind junior Kelly Yusko who tossed a complete-game gem in the opener.
 
Rutgers-Newark edged out the Ducks 2-1 in game one but fell in the nightcap, 3-2. The doubleheader was tight throughout as neither team led by more than one run at any point. The Scarlet Raiders move to 10-16 overall and will host Rutgers University-Camden Saturday afternoon on Alumni Field in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Stevens – who was recently ranked nationally as high as No. 22 – moves to 19-11 on the season.

"I thought we showed a lot of improvement today," said Head Coach Kristen Hunt after the split. "We competed, executed and got a much-needed win in game one. Hopefully we can carry some momentum into a big conference doubleheader on Saturday against Camden."
 
Rutgers-Newark 2, Stevens 1
Yusko tossed a beauty in the opener to help the Scarlet Raiders get back into the win column. She went the distance, scattering seven hits and striking out three. The veteran stranded eight Duck base runners and was credited with her seventh triumph of the season.
 
Yusko stranded two in the top of the first, and Rutgers-Newark tallied one in the bottom half for a 1-0 edge. Sophomore Samantha Hoffman delivered a two-out run-scoring single, plating junior Morgan Walizer who laced a single to right with one out.
 
Stevens tied the game at one in the top half of the third, but Rutgers grabbed it back quickly, getting a double from Yusko and a run-scoring triple to deep-right from freshman Brittany Kalesse.
 
Yusko worked around single and a walk in the fourth, and sent down the Ducks one-two-three in the fifth and sixth to keep her team on top. In the seventh, Yusko continued to roll, sending Stevens down in order for a third-straight inning to lock up the win.
 
Nice! Kelly Yusko retired the last 10 hitters she faced in the opener.
 
Rutgers-Newark totaled seven hits and two walks in the first game of the day. Yusko went 2-for-2 with a walk and run scored, and junior Morgan Schweitzer went 2-for-3 with a triple. Walizer had a hit and run, Kalesse tripled, walked, scored and drove in one and Hoffman had a hit and an RBI.
 
Freshman Samantha Schattin led Stevens, going 2-for-4.
 
Stevens 3, Rutgers-Newark 2
The nightcap was tight just like the opener, but the Ducks were able to hold off Rutgers-Newark to salvage a split.
 
Walizer received the start for the Raiders, tossing five innings and giving up three runs (two earned). She struck out one and scattered five hits, falling to 3-6 on the season. Yusko went the final two frames for R-N, giving up just two hits.
 
Christine LaRochelle and Marissa Cappello went four and three innings for Stevens, respectively, with LaRochelle picking up her ninth win of the season and Cappello pocketing her third save.
 
The Scarlet Raiders totaled seven hits and were led by freshman Sarah Stiehler who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Walizer, junior Sam Held, junior Kayla Gallo, Schweitzer and junior Elizabeth Marflak all had hits, with Gallo scoring once and driving in another.
 
Stevens struck first, scoring one run in the top half of the first inning, but Rutgers-Newark came back with two in the second for a 2-1 lead. Gallo singled home Hoffman, and Stiehler drove in Gallo with a base knock.
 
The Ducks would score the game's final two tallies in the fourth inning, and Cappello was impressive in the circle in getting her third save.

Softball fans should check rutgersnewarkathletics.com for links to live stats on Saturday, and fans should follow @ScarletRaiders on twitter for the latest.