JERSEY CITY, N.J. | The Rutgers University-Newark softball program earned a pair of wins this afternoon, taking down NJAC rivals, New Jersey City University. The 8-1 and 6-1 wins boosted the Scarlet Raiders to 14-20, 5-7 NJAC while the Gothic Knights dropped to 4-26, 0-12 NJAC.
The pair of wins made it 11 consecutive wins over the Gothic Knights bumping their all-time record to 18-11.
Game 1: Rutgers University-Newark 8, NJCU 1
Samantha Hoffman led the Scarlet Raider offense on Thursday, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Riley Scuralli also secured a pair of hits with a run while
Alyssa Morales picked up a pair of RBI on one hit.
Jackie Lara (6-5) picked up right where she left off against Ramapo College and pitched six innings. Lara allowed just two hits and one earned run while striking out eight Gothic Knights.
Michelle Capizzano took care of business in the final inning, tallying one strikeout and allowing just one hit.
The Scarlet Raiders got on the board in the bottom of the second. With the bases juiced, Morales singled to center field to plate both Scuralli and Contravo. Hoffman doubled their total with a two-RBI single which brought in both Morales and Bartus.
New Jersey City University would respond with a run in the top of the third as Arianna Scrimo hit an RBI single to add a run.
Brielle Mattiello pushed the Scarlet Raiders' lead back out to four with an RBI single to center field to score
Sam Morton who reached on a fielding error earlier in the inning.
Rutgers University-Newark added three more to their tally in the bottom of the sixth to extend their advantage to seven.
Desiree Roman used her speed to steal home to score one of the runs for the Scarlet Raiders.
Down by seven, the Gothic Knights were unable to muster up a comeback despite putting to runners on the bases.
Game 2: Rutgers University-Newark 6, NJCU 1
Capizzano (3-8) struck out five and allowed three hits and one run in her third win of the season. Bartus was the lone Scarlet Raider to record two hits, going 2-for-3 at the dish with two RBI and a run.
The Gothic Knights were first on the board in game two, scoring their only run of the game in the top of the first.
Rutgers University-Newark responded in a strong way by scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Scarlet Raiders had runners on the corners when a wild pitch brought in Morales from third to get the scoring started. A walk and another wild pitch brought in another pair before Bartus hit a two-RBI double to left field to increase the Scarlet Raiders' lead to 5-1.
An error in the bottom of the fourth allowed Rutgers University-Newark to add another run to their total before the game ended.
The Scarlet Raiders return to action on Saturday, April 20 when they travel to Glassboro, NJ to take on Rowan University in another NJAC doubleheader.
