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Box Score 2 NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 16, 2016) – Freshman
Charlee Greco (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) tied the single-game program record with five hits in the opening game and senior
Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) drew closer to the career 100-hit plateau with four hits as the Rutgers University-Camden softball team swept a pair of games Wednesday at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic.
Greco went 5-for-5 in the opening game as the Scarlet Raptors crushed Spalding University (Louisville, Kentucky), 20-1, in five innings. Rutgers-Camden won the nightcap, 7-2, over Albertus Magnus College (New Haven, Connecticut), 7-2.
Larson's four hits on the day pushed her career total to 99.
Rutgers-Camden, which improved to 5-4 and ran its winning streak to four games, returns to action Thursday at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic. The Scarlet Raptors face Bay Path University (Longmeadow, Mass.) at 9:30 a.m. and Albright College (Reading, Penn.) at 11:30 a.m.
Rutgers-Camden 20, Spalding 1 (5 innings) After winning a pair of short games on Tuesday due to the eight-run rule, the Scarlet Raptors continued their offensive barrage in Wednesday's opening game, exploding for 10 runs in the top of the first inning. It was the Raptors' biggest inning since another 10-run first inning during an 11-1 five-inning win over Mitchell College on March 15, 2009.
Rutgers-Camden sent 14 batters to the plate and collected eight hits, while also taking advantage of two hit batsmen and two errors in the opening frame. Larson had a two-run double in the frame, while Greco had a double and a two-run single. Senior
Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) and sophomore second baseman
Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) both had a double and an RBI single in the inning. Nichols, Scott and freshman
Kacie Pisani (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) each scored two runs in the inning.
The Scarlet Raptors added two more runs in the third on four hits, including RBI singles by senior center fielder
Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) and Larson. They capped their big game with an eight-run fifth inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Larson and RBI doubles from sophomore third baseman
Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) and Day.
Junior southpaw
Abby Merryman (Washington Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) picked up her first win at Rutgers-Camden since transferring from Georgian Court University. She allowed only five hits and a third-inning run, while striking out four. She also helped her cause at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Greco had a double and four singles in tying the program's single-game record of five hits, set by Sarah O'Malley in the first game of a doubleheader against Gwynedd-Mercy College on March 16, 2003. Greco also scored four runs, one shy of the single-game program mark, and drove home two.
Nichols, Day and Larson added three hits apiece for Rutgers-Camden.
Rutgers-Camden 7, Albertus Magnus 2 After losing to Albertus Magnus in their opening game of the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Monday, the Raptors got revenge Wednesday. Rutgers-Camden scored four first-inning runs and rode Scott's seven-hitter to the win.
Nichols started the big frame with a one-out single up the middle. She scored on Scott's double to right-center field and Greco followed with an RBI double to center. Merryman singled home the last two runs of the inning.
The Scarlet Raptors added three more runs in the fourth on two hits, including a three-run home run by Scott to left field.
Scott raised her mound record to 4-2, allowing two runs (one unearned), walking one and striking out nine. She also went 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs at the plate.
Nichols and Pisani added two hits apiece.
