Box Score WAYNE, N.J. – It took three days for the Rutgers University-Camden and William Paterson University softball teams to complete their first-round game in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Softball Championship Tournament.
When the contest finally ended here Thursday afternoon, the sixth-seeded Scarlet Raptors had outlasted top seeded Pioneers, 5-4, dropping No. 17 nationally-ranked William Paterson into the NJAC tournament losers' bracket.
The game was started on Tuesday, but the teams only played one inning before the contest was suspended by rain, with Rutgers-Camden leading, 3-2. With Wednesday's heavy rain, the conclusion of the game was rescheduled for Thursday and the NJAC playoffs were extended from the weekend to Friday so that teams could play their second game in the double-elimination tournament.
Paterson (29-8), which is hosting the remainder of the NJAC tournament, will face Richard Stockton College Friday at 11 a.m. Rutgers-Camden (18-14-1) will face Rowan University at 1 p.m.
The game started well for the Scarlet Raptors, who scored three runs in the top of the first inning on Tuesday. With two outs, sophomore pitcher
Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) singled and the Raptors loaded the bases with back-to-back walks by junior shortstop
Krystine Rice (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) and sophomore centerfielder
Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest). Sophomore third baseman
Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) followed with a RBI single and freshman first baseman
Jessea Macaluso (Charlotte, NC/Allentown) walked to force home another run. Freshman designated player
Allyson Potts (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional) added another RBI single.
Paterson came right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame after a pair of walks opened the inning. A passed ball moved up the runners and both scored on a double by senior shortstop
Katelyn Miele (Flanders, NJ/Pope John XXIII).When play resumed Thursday, Rutgers-Camden answered the Pioneers' two-run first with a two-run rally in the top of the second inning. Once again, Scott started the uprising with a two-out single. Rice followed with a single and Day walked to load the bases before Larson drilled a two-run single to left field.
With a 5-2 lead, the rest of the game was in the right arm of Scott, who raised her record to 16-12 with an eight-hitter, walking three and striking out one. She allowed four runs, but two of them were unearned tallies in the fifth and sixth innings as Rutgers-Camden committed three errors over those two innings. In the seventh, Scott shut the door with a 1-2-3 inning.
Paterson freshman starter
Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South) took the loss, dropping her record to 8-5. She worked six innings, pitching most of the first inning, and relieving late in the second inning and finishing the game. She allowed two hits, three walks and three earned runs, while striking out four.
Larson went 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Scarlet Raptors' attack, while Scott was 2-for-4. Scott and Rice scored two runs apiece.
NJAC Softball Tournament bracket
