Highlights
NEWARK, N.J. (March 31, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team was defeated in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader Saturday by The College of New Jersey.
The Lions were able to squeak out an extra-inning win in the opener 6-4, and they triumphed by a 5-2 final in the nightcap.
Rutgers-Newark falls to 14-5 overall and 0-2 in league play, while the Lions move to 14-4 overall and 2-0 in the NJAC. The Scarlet Raiders will look to get back to their winning ways Tuesday with a league doubleheader at William Paterson University.
TCNJ 6, Rutgers-Newark 4 (8 inn.)
The guests pushed across two runs in the eighth inning after starting with a runner at second, and pitcher Eliza Sweet was able to strand the tying runs on the base paths in the bottom half to earn the win.
Rutgers-Newark took an early 2-0 lead with two scores in the first. Sophomore
Sarah Stiehler doubled home freshman
Jaclyn Arute with the first run, and Stiehler crossed on a groundout off the bat of freshman
Julie Contravo.
TCNJ sliced the Rutgers lead in half with a single score in the top of third, but the Scarlet Raiders got it right back with one of their own in the bottom half. Senior
Morgan Schweitzer doubled with two outs, and freshman
Masha Corbett followed with a two-bagger of her own to bring in Schweitzer.
The Lions scored one in the fourth and two in the sixth to take a 4-3 lead, but the Scarlet Raiders forced extra innings with a tally of their own in the seventh. Arute walked and Stiehler singled to set the table. Senior
Kelly Yusko followed with a single to load the bases, and Contravo brought in Arute with the tying run on a sacrifice fly.
Rutgers-Newark totaled 10 hits in the opener. Arute went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two walks. Stiehler was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, and Schweitzer was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Corbett finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk as the Scarlet Raiders ripped four doubles in the game.
Freshman
Paige Masiello took the tough loss, tossing eight solid frames and giving up three earned runs while striking out three.
TCNJ 5, Rutgers-Newark 2
The ladies in the circle were the story for much of Saturday's second game, as Alanna Namit for TCNJ and
Kelly Yusko for Rutgers-Newark matched zeroes for the first four innings.
TCNJ broke through with one run in the fifth and two in the sixth for a 3-0 lead. Two more for the Lions in the seventh pushed the lead to 5-0, and despite two late scores from Rutgers-Newark, the Lions were able to get the sweep.
In the seventh, Yusko and Contravo walked to start the comeback try for the Scarlet Raiders, and two runs crossed on a groundball from Corbett. That however would be it for Rutgers-Newark as Sweet came on for TCNJ to get the final two outs in the game.
Stiehler and Corbett had the Rutgers-Newark hits in game two. Yusko threw the first six innings and gave up just one earned run, striking out three and walking no one. She scattered five hits and Masiello tossed a perfect seventh for the Scarlet Raiders.
