Newark, NJ I The Rutgers University-Newark softball team split its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader against William Paterson University on Frederick Douglass Field this afternoon, winning the opener 3-2 before coming up short in the second contest by a score of 8-5. The Scarlet Raiders are now 8-12 (1-1 NJAC) while the Pioneers have a 14-4 (1-1 NJAC) mark.

R-N resumes its league slate on Tuesday when the squad heads to Montclair State University for a pair of contests beginning at 3 p.m.

Game 1: Rutgers-Newark 3, William Paterson 2
In the opener, the Scarlet Raiders jumped on the Pioneers' starter early to take an important lead. Brielle Mattiello began the rally with a one-out infield single, starting a stretch where four consecutive batters reached safely.

 Jackie Lara was next with a base knock up the middle followed by a Julie Contravo walk to load the bases. Sarah Stiehler delivered single through the left side to score Mattiello and get the hosts on the board.  

Samantha Morton patiently worked a base on balls to drive in another run before Riley Scuralli sent a sacrifice fly to center that brought Conravo home and made it 3-0.

That would be all the scoring Rutgers-Newark needed for the day as Michelle Capizzano kept William Paterson at bay to earn a complete game victory. The rookie starter weathered a tough fifth, conceding two runs but shutting the visitors down with runners on the corner by forcing a popout before ending the frame on a strikeout. She finished off the contest by sitting down the Pioneers in order in the sixth and working around a single in the seventh to improve to 2-5 while racking up eight strikeouts.

Stiehler led the way offensively with a 2-for-3 game and an RBI. Lara joined her with a multi-hit 2-for-4 contest plus a run scored. Morton had a strong afternoon, racking up a 1.000 on-base percentage, going 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI.

Game 2: William Paterson 8, Rutgers-Newark 5
In the second half of the doubleheader, it was the Pioneers who jumped on the hosts early, piling on four first-inning runs.

Still, the Raiders rallied immediately in the bottom of the frame. Jaclyn Arute led off with a single to left before a Mattiello walk made it two on with no outs for Lara. The rookie delivered in a big way, smashing a home run over the left field wall to cut the deficit to 4-3.

Unfortunately, WPU tacked on a pair of runs in the third and the fifth to take a commanding 8-3 lead.

Rutgers-Newark attempted one last rally in the bottom of the seventh. Contravo singled up the middle but an error in the outfield allowed her to advance to third with one out. Stiehler was up next, coming through with an infield single and reaching second on a throwing error as Contravo made it 8-4. A Morton base knock put runners on the corners before a fielder's choice allowed Stiehler to score. Riley Scuralli continued the comeback with a single into center but sadly the comeback would end with the next batter as the visitors hung on for an 8-5 win and split for the day.

Paige Masiello suffered the loss in the circle after 2.1 innings where she allowed six runs (two earned) in addition to a walk and strikeout. Lara hurled the remaining 4.2 innings, conceding two runs (one earned) while striking out three.

Offensively, Morton completed a perfect afternoon with a 3-for-3 performance, finishing the day with a 1.000 on-base percentage. Arute was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while Lara contributed three RBI on her second long ball of the season.