NEWARK, NJ | The Rutgers University-Newark softball squad split with New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) foes, Stockton, this evening at Frederick Douglass Field, 9-8 and 9-7.
Game 1: Rutgers-Newark 9, Stockton 8
Rutgers-Newark (9-9, 4-3) used 12 hits to score 9 runs as Alex Di Martino led the team with three hits in four at-bats. Jackie Lara and Megan Tomaselli each added a pair of RBIs in the win. Michelle Capizzano (5-4) pitched 3.2 innings and allowed six hits while striking out one batter.
Stockton (12-11, 1-6) used 13 hits to plate 8 runs in the first game and was led by Jenna Patterson who finished 3-for-4. In the circle, it was Samantha McErlane who got the start but it was Nerina Tramp (1-1) who was given the loss.
Michelle Capizzano and the Scarlet Raiders survived the opening stanza against Stockton after runners were on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Capizzano forced Meyer to fly out to McMillan in center field.
Stockton got the scoring started in the 2nd when they capitalized on an error by Mia Lopez. The Osprey's continued to add runs in the top of the 3rd, using four hits and an error to take a 4-0 lead over the Scarlet Raiders. Madison DiGiorgio entered the game for Capizzano and forced the batter to fly out to Alex Di Martino in left field to stop the bleeding for the Scarlet Raiders.
Di Martino and McMillan each recorded a hit in the bottom of the 3rd before Brianna Hernandez moved both runners over but recorded the second out. Jackie Lara came to the plate and waited for her pitch and set it over the right fielder's head to plate both Di Martino and McMillan to cut the lead in half, 4-2.
Rutgers-Newark took the lead in the bottom of the 5th when they plated three runs to take a 5-4 lead. Megan Tomaselli got the scoring started with an RBI single to right-center followed by an RBI single from Capizzano. With the bases loaded, Lopez hit an infield single which brought Tomaselli home.
Stockton responded with a run in the top of the 6th when James hit an RBI triple to left field to knot the game up at 5. Rutgers-Newark wasn't done scoring as they regained the lead with an RBI single by Tomaselli in the next inning with bases loaded. The Scarlet Raiders were stifled the rest of the inning but still carried their one-run lead into the 7th.
The scoring spree continued in the top of the 7th when Stockton plated a run to level the game at six. With Capizzano back in the circle, an errant pitch allowed two more Osprey's to cross and propel them into the lead.
Down two in the bottom of the 7th, the Scarlet Raiders kept the fireworks going when Di Martino and Hernandez each tallied an RBI single before Riley Scuralli capitalized on a wild pitch to win in walk-off fashion.
Game 2: Stockton 9, Rutgers-Newark 7
Rutgers-Newark (9-10, 4-4) was held to just six hits in the second game of the series, however, Jackie Lara made it a game at the end and finished 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs. Lara (4-5), in the circle, pitched a complete game and allowed six hits with five strikeouts.
Stockton (13-11, 2-6) was once again led by Jenna Patterson who finished with three hits and three RBIs while Nerina Tramp paced the team with 4 RBIs.
Stockton continued the scoring in game two, registering a pair of runs to start the game against Lara. Then in the bottom of the inning, Rutgers-Newark and McMillan cut the lead down to one when she used an error by D'Erasmo to advance to 3rd before scoring on a wild pitch.
The Osprey's took control of the second game, plating four runs in the top of the 3rd to take a 6-1 lead over the Scarlet Raiders.
Rutgers-Newark's bats came alive in the final two innings, scoring six runs powered by a three RBI triple by Lara in the bottom of the 7th. However, the Scarlet Raiders came up just short as they ran out of time to complete their comeback.
