Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (May 5, 2016) – The third time was the charm, and the Rutgers University-Camden softball team set the tone early in its first-round game in the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs.
 

After waiting through two days of rainouts that made the field unplayable at second-seeded Stockton University, the fifth-seeded Scarlet Raptors got the chance to play one last game on their home field this season. They responded with a 4-0 victory here Thursday, sparked by a first-inning home run from senior shortstop Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) and another outstanding pitching performance from senior ace Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional).

BRACKET
 
With the remainder of the tournament being played at top-seeded Rowan University starting Friday, weather permitting, the Scarlet Raptors (21-18) are scheduled to play third-seeded The College of New Jersey (28-13) at 3 p.m. Stockton (30-11) drops into the losers' bracket, where it will play sixth-seeded Kean University (20-22) in an elimination game at 11 a.m.
 
Batting as the visiting team despite playing on their own field, the lower-seeded Scarlet Raptors took the lead for good on the third batter of the game as Larson drilled a solo home run to left field. It was her fifth home run of the season.
 
That was all the offense Scott needed as she tossed a seven-hit shutout, walking two and striking out one, to raise her record to 16-13. It was her second 4-0 victory over Stockton this season, with the first coming with a no-hitter on April 6 in Galloway before the Ospreys came back to beat her, 7-0, in the nightcap.
 
The Scarlet Raptors added another run in the fifth inning off Stockton senior Samantha Shockey (Deptford, NJ/Deptford), whose record fell to 15-7. Scott started the rally with a one-out single and reached second base safely when Larson's fielder's choice grounder was thrown away trying for the force at second. One out later, a single by senior centerfielder Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) loaded the bases and set up an RBI single by junior first baseman Abby Merryman (Washington Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). The Raptors nearly broke the game open, but a rope hit by sophomore catcher Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) was hauled in by Stockton centerfielder Nicole Tomo (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) with a fine catch, leaving the bases loaded.
 
Tomo made another stellar catch in the sixth inning off a line drive by Merryman to leave the bases loaded, but not before the Scarlet Raptors scored their final two runs. The inning started with a one-out walk to sophomore second baseman Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights), a bunt single by junior rightfielder Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) and a single by Scott that was kept in the infield on a play behind the second base bag. Larson followed by dropping an opposite-field single to right, scoring Nichols. One out later, a walk to Day forced home Garcia.

 
Stockton staged its biggest rally in the sixth inning, which could have been more trouble had Day not caught a bullet line drive to center to open the frame. With two outs, the Ospreys sandwiched singles by sophomore catcher Alexa Massa (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) and Tomo around a walk to freshman shortstop Casey Schieda (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), loading the bases. Senior Catherine Wunder (Clinton, NJ/North Hunterdon) pinch-hit, representing the tying run and, after a tough duel, Scott got her to foul out to junior leftfielder Megan Goodspeed (Florence, NJ/Florence).
 
Although Stockton put its leadoff batter aboard in the seventh inning on a single by sophomore leftfielder Chelsea Thomas (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights), Scott retired the next three hitters, ending the game on a fly to Day in center.
 
The shutout was the sixth of the season for Scott, who earlier in the day captured All-NJAC First Team honors. It also was the 13th of her three-year Rutgers-Camden career, fourth on the program's all-time list, and lowered her season ERA to 1.89.
 
Shockey ended up allowing nine hits, five walks and four runs, three of them earned. She struck out three.
 
Scott, Larson and Merryman each had two of the nine Rutgers-Camden hits. Larson, an All-NJAC Second Team honoree, also collected a pair of RBIs to raise her career total to 108, the second-highest total in Rutgers-Camden program history.