NEWARK, N.J. | The Rutgers University-Newark softball team swept a non-conference matchup against visiting Baruch College this afternoon on Frederick Douglass Field, 9-5 and 17-2. The Scarlet Raiders improve to 12-18 while the Bearcats fall to 2-12.
R-N resumes New Jersey Athletic Conference play tomorrow when the squad takes on NJCU.
Game 1: Rutgers-Newark 9, Baruch 5
The Raiders jumped out in front quickly, capitalizing on a leadoff
Jaclyn Arute triple and Baruch error to notch their first run.
Julie Contravo made it 3-0 seconds later when she blasted a two-run shot to left.
R-N poured it on in the second.
Emily Bartus led off with a single before
Brianna Hernandez reached on an error that moved Bartus to third. Following a Hernandez stolen base, Arute singled both runners home.
Brielle Mattiello continued the rally when she crushed a ball down the left field line and raced around the bases for a two-RBI inside-the-park home run. The Scarlet Raiders tacked on two more runs on a sacrifice fly by
Riley Scuralli and a RBI base knock from
Samantha Hoffman to secure a comfortable 9-0 lead.
The Bearcats would get back in the contest with a four-spot in the top of the fifth and had a brief seventh-inning rally, but it would not be enough.
Arute and Contravo led the way offensively with matching 2-for-2 lines including two runs and two RBI. Mattiello joined them with multiple RBI while
Megan Tomaselli and Bartus each also contributed a pair of hits.
Jackie Lara (5-4) picked up the win in the circle after four perfect innings that featured four strikeouts.
Game 2: Rutgers-Newark 17, Baruch 2
In the night cap, the visitors got off to the fast start as the Bearcats claimed a 2-0 lead after the first half-inning. Still, the home side would strike back quickly and regain control.
The Scarlet Raiders scored nine runs in the bottom of the first as 13 batters stepped up to the dish. Starting off game two just like the first, Arute led off with a triple. After an error allowed Mattiello to reach, Lara came through with a two-RBI double to even the game at 2-2. Morton, Bartus, Hernandez, and Arute each contributed base knocks that drove in a combined five more runs while another error allowed Hernandez to score and Lara rounded out the frame with an RBI groundout.
Rutgers-Newark poured on five more in the second as a combination of Baruch miscues and timely hitting produced a 14-2 gap.
The Raiders capped the scoring in the third when
Desiree Roman added an RBI infield single before Arute drove in two more with a double to left.
Five different players earned multi-hit games led by Arute who was 3-for-3 with two runs and four RBI. Hernandez went 2-for-2 with two runs and three RBI while Lara had a pair of hits and three RBI. Bartus was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored.
Paige Masiello improved to 5-6 on the season after five innings of two-run ball (one earned), walking none, and striking out five.
