GALLOWAY, N.J. (April 28, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team dropped a pair of New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) games against a tough Stockton University squad on the road.

The Scarlet Raiders are now 21-14 (7-9 NJAC) while the Ospreys improve to 23-15 (10-8 NJAC).

R-N is still looking for a spot in the NJAC Championship Tournament as it closes out its 2018 campaign tomorrow at Ramapo.

Stockton 8, Rutgers-Newark 3
The Ospreys pulled away late in Game 1 despite two game-tying rallies from the visitors.

After the home team jumped out to a 2-0 lead, the Scarlet Raiders fought back in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Sarah Stiehler led off with a walk and with one out, rookie Angela Haines stepped up to bat.

Haines lifted her second collegiate home run over the left field fence for a big two-RBI dinger, bringing home Stiehler and tying the game at 2-2.

Stockton regained its advantage with a tally in the bottom of the frame but R-N would rally again in the sixth.

Senior Morgan Walizer led off with a single into right and two batters later freshman Julie Contravo hit an infield base knock to set up senior Morgan Schweitzer with two on and one out.

Schweitzer came through, ripping the ball up the middle to drive in rookie pinch-runner Desiree Roman and tie things up, 3-3.

Unfortunately, the Ospreys poured on five scores in the bottom of the inning and took the opener 8-3.

Schweitzer led the offense with a 2-for-3 and one RBI game while Haines was 1-for-3 with a run and two RBI from her two-run shot in the fifth. Stiehler matched Schweitzer's .667 on-base percentage after a 1-for-2 contest with a run and a walk.

Senior Kelly Yusko (7-5) took the loss in the circle, going all six innings while allowing eight runs (six earned), walking two, and striking out seven.

Stockton 7, Rutgers-Newark 3
The Raiders got off to a fast start in the second contest. With two outs in the top of the first, Yusko singled up the middle. Up next was rookie Julie Contravo. She came up big, blasting a two-run shot over the left field fence to stake the visitors to a 2-0 lead.

The Ospreys tied things up in the bottom of the frame but R-N would regain its advantage in the third.

Walizer led off the stanza with a base hit to right-center. After a Yusko walk and Contravo fly out that moved Walizer to third, Schweitzer delivered a squeeze, sacrifice bunt that brought Walizer home, making it 3-2 in favor of Newark.

Unfortunately, Stockton rallied with four tallies in the fourth and added one more in the fifth as the home team took a 7-3 victory.

Yusko and Contravo were the top offensive performers as Yusko went 3-for-3 with a walk and a run while Contravo was 3-for-4 with a run and two RBI from her first inning home run.

Freshman Paige Masiello (9-7) suffered the loss after coming in for Walizer with two outs in the first. She went 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (one earned) on 12 hits.