UNION, N.J. (April 30, 2018) – Senior Kelly Yusko recorded the 200th hit of her career to highlight the final day of the regular-season for the Rutgers University-Newark softball team.
 
Needing two hits to achieve the incredible career milestone, Yusko picked up a single in her first at-bat and a double in her second, adding two more hits in the second game – the second being a homer in the sixth inning.
 
Rutgers-Newark was defeated by Ramapo College in both games of the New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader, falling in the opener, 9-2, and 5-1 in the nightcap. The Scarlet Raiders fall to 21-16 overall and 7-11 in the NJAC and will now await a possible berth in the upcoming Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Tournament. That announcement will be made Monday, May 7. Ramapo improves to 23-11 overall and 12-6 in league play with the two wins and will play in the upcoming NJAC Tournament.
 
Monday's games were played in Union, N.J. at Kean University.
 
Ramapo 9, Rutgers-Newark 2
After a two-out single in the first inning, Yusko led off the fourth with a booming double to left-center for hit No. 200 of an incredible career. She later came in to score on a triple off the bat of sophomore Sarah Stiehler to cut a 2-0 Ramapo lead in half.
 
After eclipsing 50 hits in each of her first three seasons, Yusko needed 38 to get to 200 for her career. She now has 202 hits in all after the doubleheader, is already a three-time first-team all-conference performer and will graduate from Rutgers-Newark as its winningest pitcher, all-time hits leader and homers leader.
 
Later in the fourth inning, senior Sam Held drove in Stiehler with a groundout, knotting the game at two, but Ramapo answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and four more in the sixth for the final margin.
 
Rutgers-Newark had four hits in the game, getting a 2-for-3 performance from Yusko with a run and an RBI and one hit from Stiehler and Held.
 
Yusko suffered the loss in the circle, giving up six earned runs in six innings of work. She scattered 10 hits, walked four and struck out two.
 
Four different Roadrunners had multiple hits, and they were led by two hits in four trips with four RBI by senior Shannon Cox.
 
Ramapo 5, Rutgers-Newark 1
The Roadrunners scored two runs in the first and one in the second to open a 3-0 lead early in the second game, adding two insurance tallies in the fourth.
 
R-N's first scoring chance of the game came in the top of the first. Freshman Jaclyn Arute was hit by a pitch and Yusko singled to put two runners on. Senior Morgan Schweitzer singled with two outs, but Arute was thrown out at home for the final out of the inning.
 
The Scarlet Raiders could not cash two walks in the fourth, but Yusko's homer made it a 5-1 game in the sixth. It was Yusko's first home run of 2018 and 19th of her career.
 
Yusko's long ball would be it for Rutgers-Newark as pitcher Erin Fitzsimmons went the distance for the win. Freshman Paige Masiello took the loss for Rutgers-Newark (9-8), allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings. The rookie walked none and struck out one.
 
The Scarlet Raiders totaled five hits in game two and were led by Yusko who went 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored thanks to her round tripper. Schweitzer, junior Samantha Hoffman and sophomore Brielle Mattiello had the other Raider rips.
 
Fans should continue to monitor www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com for postseason honors, awards, and ECAC Tournament.