UNIOIN, N.J. (April 8, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Newark softball team earned road split with New Jersey Athletic Conference rival William Paterson University Sunday in Union.
The Pioneers were able to come back against the Scarlet Raiders to win the opener, but Rutgers-Newark scored four runs in the fifth inning of game two to take the nightcap.
Rutgers-Newark moves to 15-6 overall and 1-3 in the NJAC. R-N will return to the diamond at Ramapo College Tuesday in a league doubleheader. William Paterson is now 15-7 overall and 2-2 in the league.
William Paterson 6, Rutgers-Newark 4
The Pioneers scored two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to edge out the Scarlet Raiders in the opener.
Rutgers-Newark jumped out in front with a run in the third when freshman
Jaclyn Arute tripled and sophomore
Sarah Stiehler singled her home. Paterson tallied twice in the its half of the inning, but the guests came right back with a pair in the fourth to pull back ahead. Senior
Morgan Schweitzer singled to start the inning, and senior
Morgan Walizer walked behind her. An infield single from junior
Samantha Hoffman filled the sacks, and sophomore
Brielle Mattiello singled home a pair to give the Raiders the lead at 3-2.
Freshman
Julie Contravo launched a solo homer with one out in the top of the fifth, clearing the fences for a team-leading fourth time this season. The RBI was the 20th of the year for the rookie which is also a team best.
Unfortunately, that would be it for Rutgers-Newark and Paterson was able to rally late. Freshman
Paige Masiello went five innings for the Scarlet Raiders, allowing five runs on eight hits. She walked two and struck out three, falling to 8-4 on the season.
R-N tallied seven hits in the game and all seven hits came from different players. Mattiello went 1-for-3 with two RBI, Contravo went 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, and Arute went 1-for-3 (3B) with a run scored. Stiehler notched a hit and an RBI as well.
Rutgers-Newark 5, William Paterson 4
The Scarlet Raiders scored four runs in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie and held on late for a 5-4 win over the Pioneers, picking up their first NJAC triumph of the season.
In the fifth, rookie
Masha Corbett singled to lead off, and after a Mattiello sac bunt, Arute singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Stiehler came through with a sac fly to give Rutgers-Newark the lead, Walizer singled home Arute and Contravo followed with a blast over the fence in left field to make it 5-1 Rutgers-Newark. It was the fifth bomb of the year for Contravo who hit two homers in the doubleheader.
Paterson came back with two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth to slice the Rutgers-Newark lead to one (5-4), but starting pitcher
Kelly Yusko was able to strand the game-tying run at second base in the seventh to earn her third victory of the season.
Rutgers-Newark struck first in the second contest, taking a 1-0 advantage after Arute doubled to lead off the game and came in to score after an attempted steal of second base by Walizer who singled earlier in the inning.
Newark racked up 11 hits in the second game. Contravo went 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Arute went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Walizer finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, and rookie
Sam Morton went 2-for-3.
Yusko went the distance in the circle, giving up two earned runs in the complete-game win. She struck out five and walked just one, scattering eight hits. She is now 3-2 on the season with a miniscule 2.04 earned-run average.
