Highlights
NEWARK, N.J. (April 15, 2017) – Behind a complete-game three-hitter from junior pitcher
Morgan Walizer in game two, the Rutgers University-Newark softball team picked up a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) split against Rutgers University-Camden Saturday on Alumni Field.
Camden won the opener 4-0 in eight innings, but the Raiders edged out the Raptors 1-0 in the nightcap to tally their first NJAC win of the season.
Rutgers-Newark moves to 11-17 overall and 1-9 in NJAC play, while Rutgers-Camden is now 4-5 in the conference and 12-15 overall.
The Scarlet Raiders return to the diamond April 18 when they visit conference rival Kean University for an NJAC doubleheader.
Rutgers-Camden 4, Rutgers-Newark 0 (8 inn.)
Behind eight innings of four-hit ball from sophomore Jessica Thompson, Camden earned a 4-0 eight-inning victory in the opener.
Junior
Kelly Yusko pitched wonderfully for the Scarlet Raiders, keeping the Raptors off the board for the first seven innings of the game. Camden was able to score four runs in the eighth, and the Scarlet Raiders were unable to counter, falling by the 4-0 final.
Freshman Shortstop
Sarah Stiehler had two hits to pace the Rutgers-Newark offense, playing strong defense as well, and rookie
Brittany Kalesse and junior
Morgan Schweitzer had the other Scarlet Raider hits.
R-N put two on with one out in the bottom of the seventh, and Schweitzer came through with a line-drive single to center field. However, the Rutgers-Newark runner was thrown out at the plate and the game would head to extra innings.
Yusko did an excellent job working around threats for the Scarlet Raiders and the defense did an nice job as well, but Newark could not find the runs it needed.
Camden scored four runs on 11 total hits, with Gabby Castellini knocking in the game-winning run to lead off the eighth inning.
Rutgers-Newark 1, Rutgers-Camden 0
Walizer was the story in the nightcap, going seven sparkling innings and allowing just three hits. She improved to 4-6 on the season, striking out one and walking zero. She did not allow a hit until the sixth inning, and she was able to work around leadoff base runners in both the sixth and seventh.
Rutgers-Newark scored its run in the bottom half of the sixth, breaking up a scoreless deadlock. Kalesse led off the inning with an infield single that ricocheted off Thompson in the circle, and Yusko followed with a booming double to deep left that put runners on second and third with nobody out. After an out, Kalesse was able to score the game-winning run on a fielder's choice and throwing error.
Castellini – who knocked in the game-winning run in the first game – led off the seventh with a single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. A groundout put her on third with just one out, but Walizer made a nice play on a ground ball to put the Raiders on the brink and a foul out sealed the victory.
Rutgers-Newark totaled seven hits in the game, getting 2-for-3 performances from both Yusko and Stiehler. Walizer, Kalesse and Hoffman had the other Raider knocks.
