LEESBURG, Fla. (March 16, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team wrapped up an incredibly successful trip to Florida with a split to finish 8-2 in Florida. The Scarlet Raiders were topped by the University of Southern Maine in the first game of the day (14-4), but R-N bounced back nicely with a 6-4 triumph over Elmhurst College in the nightcap.
 
Southern Maine 14, Rutgers-Newark 4
The Huskies scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back, getting three on one of two homers off the bat of junior Brooke Cross. Maine opened an 8-0 lead after two-and-a-half frames, but Newark came back with a trio of runs in the bottom of the third. Senior Morgan Schweitzer singled home junior Samantha Hoffman, with runs two and three coming on an error and a walk to senior Morgan Walizer.
 
The Huskies responded, scoring six more runs over the next two innings, with R-N's final tally coming via a run-scoring base hit from freshman Sam Morton.
 
The Scarlet Raiders finished with five hits in the game, getting one each from sophomore Sarah Stiehler, freshman Jaclyn Arute, Schweitzer, Morton and Hoffman.
 
Rutgers-Newark 6, Elmhurst 4
The Scarlet Raiders closed the trip with their eighth win in 10 tries, topping EC 6-4. Senior Morgan Walizer earned the win in the circle, giving up four runs (three earned) in 6.1 innings of work. Walizer scattered 10 hits and struck out two, and freshman Paige Masiello came on to tally the save, getting the final two outs in the seventh inning.
 
The Scarlet Raiders totaled 10 hits in the game, with Walizer going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Sophomore Sarah Stiehler went 2-for-4 and six other Raiders recorded one knock each.
 
Newark scored first, pushing across one run in the second inning. Walizer led off with a walk and advanced all the way to third base on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Masha Corbett. After a strikeout, senior Kayla Gallo delivered a two-out run-scoring single to bring home Walizer.
 
Elmhurst tied the game at one in the bottom half of the third, and R-N pushed ahead for good in the sixth. Freshman Julie Contravo was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Walizer came through with a bunt single, and after an error put runners on second and third, sophomore Brittany Kalesse's fielder's choice gave Rutgers-Newark the lead.
 
The Raiders tacked on four key insurance runs in the seventh. Senior Morgan Schweitzer doubled in freshman Jaclyn Arute who doubled with one out, Walizer drove in Schweitzer, and Corbett's base knock plated junior Samantha Hoffman who pinch ran for Contravo. Freshman Sam Morton notched the final RBI of the day with a fielder's choice to bring in Walizer.
 
Masiello entered with two on and one out and was able to get two ground balls to slam the door. The save was the first of her career.
 
Up next: Rutgers-Newark will host Drew University on Tuesday at 3 p.m. on Alumni Field. Fans are encouraged to follow @ScarletRaiders on twitter for the latest all season long.