UNION, N.J. (April 17, 2018) – Due to adverse field conditions, the Rutgers University-Newark softball travelled to 18^th-ranked Kean University for a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) games but remained the home team this afternoon.

The Scarlet Raiders took a thrilling opener on a walk-off single in the ninth from the bat of rookie Jaclyn Arute, 4-3.
The Cougars responded with a tight 6-5 win in the nightcap to split the doubleheader.

R-N moves to 18-11 (4-6 NJAC) while Kean is now 21-7 (6-4 NJAC).

"This is a special group. We never stop fighting and are never out of any game." said Head Coach Kristen Hunt, "It would have been nice to get both wins but I am proud of the way we played today."

The Raiders continue their league slate on Thursday at Ramapo for a double-feature beginning at 3 p.m.

Rutgers-Newark 4, Kean 3 (9)
The opening contest was a thrilling affair that featured multiple rallies by the 'home' team. The game was defined by the starting pitchers and runs were at a premium.

Kean drew first blood in the top of the third, capitalizing with two runners in scoring position and two outs. Junior Cayleen Rizo delivered a crucial two-RBI base knock to put her squad in front.

The Raiders halved the deficit in the bottom half of the frame. Arute doubled and one batter later, senior Kelly Yusko helped her own cause with an RBI single to center.

 In the fifth, it was Arute again reaching base, this time on an error, that set rookie Julie Contravo up with runners on the corners and one out. Contravo delivered, driving the ball through the middle of the infield to bring home Arute and even the score at 2-2.

That tally would hold for the next three innings as the sides battled into the ninth.

The Cougars were the first to take advantage of the runner placed on second to start an inning. After a sacrifice bunt moved the go-ahead run to third, junior Samantha Krakower came through with two outs, singling to left to give her team a 3-2 lead.

Still, Newark would rally once again in the bottom of the ninth. Senior Morgan Schweitzer was placed on second and soon found herself on third after a bunt single by freshman Masha Corbett. Sophomore Sarah Stiehler was next and she drove a base hit into center, tying the game at 3-3.

Two batters later, Arute was set up with runners on first and second and two outs. She swung at the first pitch she saw and drove it into right field, bringing home Stiehler, as the Raiders walked-off with a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 victory.

Yusko had a tremendous start, improving to 5-4 while going the distance, hurling nine innings while conceding three runs (two earned) as she walked none and struck out two.

The R-N offense was led by Arute who went 2-for-5 with two runs and an RBI. Yusko and Corbett matched her multiple hit effort as Yusko was 2-for-3 including an RBI and walk while Corbett had a 2-for-4 line. Stiehler appeared in the penultimate inning and was 1-for-1 with the game-tying RBI and game-winning run.

Kean 6, Rutgers-Newark 5
In the nightcap, the two squads went back-and-forth early. The Cougars got on the board first with a run in the second, but the Scarlet Raiders struck back in the bottom of the frame.

Freshman Angela Haines, facing an 0-2 count, smacked a two-RBI double into left to put Rutgers-Newark in front. After a groundout moved Haines to third, sophomore Brielle Mattiello brought her home on an infield single to make it 3-1.

Kean did not back down however, and tied the score in the third before retaking the lead in the top of the fifth with a pair of runs that brought the tally to 5-3.

The Raiders halved that deficit half an inning later. Arute led off with a base knock to left before senior Morgan Walizer ripped a two-bagger. Yusko was next and she drove Arute in with a single up the middle that made it 5-4. Unfortunately, Walizer was stranded on third as the Cougars escaped the fifth with their advantage intact.

In the seventh, Kean added a crucial insurance run as Newark rallied in the bottom of the frame. Down to its final out, Yusko hit the first pitch she saw up the middle for a single. Contravo was the next batter and also swung at the first pitch, driving it into the outfield for an extra-base hit that brought Yusko in all the way from first. That cut the deficit to one while Contravo moved to third on the throw that attempted to nab Yusko at the plate. Still, the Cougars got the final batter to fly out to center as they escaped with a 6-5 win.

A quartet of Raiders led the offense with multiple hits. Haines was 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI, Contravo had a pair of hits, a walk, a run, and an RBI, Yusko went 2-for-4 with a run and RBI, and Arute had a line of 2-for-4 with a run.

Freshman Paige Masiello started and took a no-decision after four frames where she allowed three runs (two earned), walked two, and fanned two. Walizer (4-1) took the loss following three innings of work, also allowing three runs (two earned) while walking one and striking out one.