Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia (March 5, 2016) – A pinch-hit grand slam and a tremendous pitching performance sent the Rutgers University-Camden softball team to a pair of losses on Opening Day here Saturday at the Beach Blast Tournament, hosted by Virginia Wesleyan College.
Rutgers-Camden dropped its season opener, 5-2, against Shenandoah University thanks to a third-inning pinch-hit grand slam by freshman
Kayla O'Connell (Frederick, MD/Frederick). In their second game of the day, the Raptors' senior
Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) and a pair of Randolph-Macon pitchers hurled three-hit ball, but the Yellowjackets pushed over a sixth-inning run to edge Rutgers-Camden, 2-1.
The Scarlet Raptors conclude their trip to the Beach Blast on Sunday. They will play Roanoke College at 10 a.m. and face the host team, Virginia Wesleyan at 12 p.m. The Virginia Wesleyan Marlins currently are ranked No. 7 in the NFCA Division III Top 25 poll.
Shenandoah 5, Rutgers-Camden 2
The Hornets loaded the bases in the third inning on three singles before O'Connell delivered her pinch-hit grand slam to left field.
Rutgers-Camden got an unearned run back in the bottom of the third when sophomore second baseman
Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) reached on an error and came all the way around to score on another error. The Raptors cut their deficit to 4-2 with another run in the fifth after Nichols singles, stole second, advanced on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch.
Shenandoah tacked on its final run in the sixth inning on a solo home run by senior center fielder
Kimberly Brady (Gainesville, VA/Battlefield). Junior transfer
Abby Merryman (Washington Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), making her first start in a Scarlet Raptors uniform, took the loss, allowing nine hits, four walks and five earned runs in a complete-game effort. She struck out four. Shenandoah junior
Lindsay Corbiin Manassas, VA/Osbourn) earned the win with an eight-hitter, walking two and striking out three. She allowed two runs, only one earned.
Nichols went 3-for-4 and scored both Raptor runs. Scott, playing first base, went 2-for-4.
Randolph-Macon 2, Rutgers-Camden 1
The Yellowjackets broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth when a walk and two singles loaded the bases with one out. Junior third baseman
Jen Balcom (Powhatan, VA/Powhatan) plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Raptors scored the game's first run in the fourth inning after Scott hit a one-out single. She was erased on a fielder's choice by senior third baseman
Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) and freshman
Lauren Glaze (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) ran for Larson. Glaze advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to center by senior center fielder
Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest). Randolph-Macon tied the game in the fifth on a one-out home run by sophomore second baseman
Hayden Fontenot (Lexington, VA/Rockbridge). Scott allowed three hits, three walks and two earned runs, while striking out six. Randolph-Macon freshman
Candace Whittemore (Montpelier, VA/Patrick Henry) worked the first 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, five walks and one earned run. She struck out seven. Yellowjacket sophomore
Nelda Bagley (Kenbridge, VA/Central) earned the win in relief, working 1.2 perfect innings with one strikeout.
