Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 CAMDEN, N.J. – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team held their Senior Day for a pair of stellar players here Thursday, and the Scarlet Raptors couldn't have picked a better way celebrate.
Brittany Scott...two complete-game winsRutgers-Camden rode a pair of complete games from junior pitcher
Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) and combined them with 14 hits and 14 runs as it defeated a strong Ramapo College team, 4-1 and 10-2, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader. The second game ended in the bottom of the sixth inning on the eight-run rule.
With the victories, the Scarlet Raptors all but assure themselves a berth in the upcoming NJAC playoffs, raising their record to 9-7 in the conference and 19-11-1 overall. Rutgers-Camden needs just one more win on Saturday (1 p.m. doubleheader) at New Jersey City University, or one loss by Montclair State in its back-to-back NJAC doubleheaders Friday and Saturday, to clinch a playoff spot. A wide range of tie-breakers could also clinch the Raptors a playoff berth.
Ramapo, meanwhile, falls to 11-4-1 in the NJAC and 22-11-1 overall. The Roadrunners could have taken over first place in the NJAC from Rowan (12-4 in the conference) had they managed even a split on the day.
The NJAC sweep was a fitting sendoff for the two Raptor seniors, shortstop
Krystine Rice (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) and left fielder
Devon Welsh (Maple Shade, NJ/Audubon), who were playing their last games at Rutgers-Camden Community Park.
Ramapo entertains The College of New Jersey Saturday at 1 p.m. in its final NJAC doubleheader before the playoffs.
Rutgers-Camden 4, Ramapo 1
Scott hurled a three-hitter, allowing four walks and one earned run, while striking out two. She also helped her own cause with a two-run single in the fifth inning.
Ramapo freshman
Katrina Buczkowski (Buffalo, NY/Clarence) allowed only five hits in taking the loss, but two of them left the park. With one out in the third inning, Welsh launched a home run to left field, her second homer of the season. With one out in the fourth, junior third baseman
Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) hit the first of her two home runs on the day. Larson, who now has three homers on the year, added a homer in the nightcap.
The victory was the 30th for Scott in her two-year Scarlet Raptor career, making her only the fifth pitcher in program history to post 30 or more victories.
Rutgers-Camden 10, Ramapo 2
Katie Larson...two home runs, five RBIs in twinbillRutgers-Camden scored in every inning except the second, and ended the game by the eight-run mercy rule by plating four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
After the Roadrunners touched Scott for one run in the top of the first inning, Rutgers-Camden came back with three in the bottom of the frame on a three-run home run by Larson. Sophomore left fielder
Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) opened the inning with a walk and a stolen base, then beat a play at third base as Scott reached on a fielder's choice. Larson followed with her home run to center field.
Ramapo cut the gap to 3-2 in the top of the second, but the Raptors started pulling away with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Junior center fielder
Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the third-inning run. In the fourth, Welsh reached on an error, hustled to second base on a foul out to the catcher, stole third and scored on a squeeze by Scott.
In the fifth inning, freshman first baseman
Lauren Simmons (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) had a two-out RBI single to left field, plating Day, who walked and stole second base.
The Raptors ended the game in the sixth, sparked by a leadoff walk to freshman second baseman
Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights). Scott and Larson hit back-to-back triples to right field, bringing home two runs. Freshman catcher
Samantha Sandridge (Friendswood, TX/Friendswood) plated Larson with a single and advanced to second on a walk to Day. Rice followed with a fielder's choice grounder to second base. After Day was tagged for the first out, Ramapo tried to rush a throw to first base to get Rice, but the throw was wild and Sandridge scored the game-ending run.
Larson went 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs in the game, while Sandridge and Welsh were both 2-for-3 also. Scott was 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, and Nichols also scored a pair of runs.
Scott (15-10) allowed seven hits, two walks and two runs, only one of them earned. She struck out two while earning her 31st career win.