Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
CAMDEN, N.J. – Freshman pitcher Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) celebrated her birthday by picking up a win and a save in relief as the William Paterson University softball team edged Rutgers University-Camden, 6-2 and 2-1, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader here Friday afternoon.

Paterson improves to 24-6 overall and 12-2 in the NJAC, winning for the ninth time in 10 games.

Rutgers-Camden falls to15-12-1 overall and 7-7 in the conference.

Both teams return to NJAC action Tuesday with 3 p.m. doubleheaders. William Paterson hosts NJAC-leading Montclair State University, while Rutgers-Camden travels to Rowan University.
 
The Pioneers and the Scarlet Raptors were locked in a one-run game most of the way before Paterson sophomore leftfielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) drilled a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to cap her huge first game. Wimmershoff went 3-for-4 – missing a cycle by only a triple – with one run and five RBIs in the opening game.

The Pioneers scored a pair of runs in the first inning on two hits, a walk and an error. Wimmershoff had a RBI single in the frame, and then added a RBI double in the third to give Paterson a 3-0 lead.

Rutgers-Camden cut the gap to 3-2 in the fourth when sophomore centerfielder Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) drew a one-out walk. She scored ahead of a home run to center field by junior shortstop Krystine Rice (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee). Sophomore third baseman Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) followed by getting hit by a pitch, and went to third on a double by freshman first baseman Jessea Macaluso (Charlotte, NC/Allentown). Castelli relieved freshman starter Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South) and ended the threat with a pair of strikeouts. She allowed only one hit the rest of the way in 3.2 innings – a fifth-inning infield single by Day – as she raised her record to 10-2. She struck out five without walking a batter.

Podmajersky worked 3.1 innings, allowing three hits, two walks and two earned runs. She fanned four.

Rutgers-Camden sophomore Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) hurled her first of two complete games on the day, allowing 10 hits, two walks and six earned runs. She fanned three.

In addition to Wimmershoff, senior shortstop Katelyn Miele (Flanders, NJ/Pope John XXIII) and Podmajersky both had two hits for the Pioneers.
 In the nightcap, all the runs came with single tallies in the first two innings. Paterson scored in the top of the first after freshman rightfielder Nicole Fryer (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South) opened with a single and moved to third on a sacrifice and a ground out. She scored when Wimmershoff ripped a bullet off the leg of Scott for an infield RBI single.

Rutgers-Camden countered with a run in the bottom of the first. After senior catcher Tabby Dick (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester City) walked and was erased on a fielder's choice by sophomore second baseman Cait Eltzholtz (Bellmawr, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Scott singled and Rice had a two-out RBI single.

The Pioneers scored the eventual winning run in the second inning on a two-out error.

Paterson sophomore starter Chelsea Batelli (Wayne, NJ/DePaul Catholic) worked six innings of four-hit ball, allowing one walk and one earned run to pick up the win. Batelli (5-1), who struck out one, left in the bottom of the seventh after allowing a leadoff single to Day. Castelli relieved her and retired the next three batters to earn her first save, notching a strikeout to end the game.

Scott (13-10) hurled a nine-hitter, walking one and striking out two. She allowed two runs, one of them unearned.

Nicole Fryer went 3-for-4 with one run for Paterson, while junior designated player Kristen Gardner (Audubon, PA/Methacton) had two hits.

Day and Rice were the lone Raptors to collect multiple hits in the doubleheader, getting one hit in each game.