Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 12, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team came ever so close to sweeping its first New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader of the season here Tuesday, but a seventh-inning rally by The College of New Jersey spoiled the plans in the second game.
 
The Scarlet Raptors ripped 11 hits in the opener to post a 7-2 victory, but the Lions scored two runs in the top of the seventh to capture the nightcap, 2-1. It was the fourth straight NJAC doubleheader split for the Raptors to open the conference season, with Rutgers-Camden winning the opening game each time.
 
Rutgers-Camden owns a 13-11 record overall and a 4-4 mark in the NJAC. TCNJ stands at 19-10 and 6-2.
 
Both teams return to NJAC play with doubleheaders Saturday. Rutgers-Camden hosts Montclair State University at 12 p.m., while TCNJ travels to Rutgers-Newark for a 1 p.m. start.
   
In the opening game, senior Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) hurled a six-hitter, allowing two walks and two earned runs, while striking out four. Scott and her battery mate, sophomore Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) both homered for the Scarlet Raptors, with Mason's fifth-inning solo shot to left field being the first homer of her collegiate career.
 
Rutgers-Camden added 11 hits to three TCNJ errors to account for five unearned runs off Lions senior starter Ashtin Helmer (Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury). Helmer (3-4) allowed 10 of the hits and all seven runs in four innings, while striking out four.
 
The teams traded runs in the first inning, with Scott's leadoff home run in the bottom of the frame accounting for the Scarlet Raptors' tally. It was her third homer of the year.
 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good with three unearned runs a third inning that featured four hits and two errors. Senior third baseman Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) and freshman first baseman Charlee Greco (Shamong, NJ/Seneca) had RBI singles in the frame, which was capped by an RBI double by Mason.
 
Three hits and an error led to two more unearned runs for the Raptors in the fourth inning, with Larson and senior centerfielder Lindsay Day (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) collecting RBI singles. After the Lions scored their second run in the top of the fifth, Mason ended the scoring in the bottom of the frame, lining a leadoff home run to left field.
 
Larson went 3-for-3 with one run and two RBIs, while Mason went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Scott and sophomore second baseman Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) both went 2-for-4, with Scott scoring twice and knocking home one run, while Nichols scored once.
   
The second game was a terrific pitchers' duel between Scott and Lions sophomore Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mt. St. Dominic Academy). Both hurlers fired shutout ball into the sixth inning before the Scarlet Raptors finally jumped on the scoreboard after Larson drew a leadoff walk and was erased on a fielder's choice by Day. Day moved to second on a ground out and scored when Mason reached on a two-out throwing error by the Lions' second baseman.
 
TCNJ, however, came right back with a pair of runs in the decisive seventh inning. Freshman third baseman Jess McGuire (Stockton, NJ/Hunterdon Central Regional) smoked a high line drive that was nearly hauled down by junior shortstop Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vinland), but the ball popped off the top of her glove for a leadoff single. McGuire was replaced by pinch-runner Nerylix Cerda (North Bergen, NJ/High Tech). After a strikeout, Cerda raced to third base on a double by senior shortstop Steph Vuono (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) and scored on a single to left center by senior rightfielder Kristen Fitzsimmons (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial). Freshman centerfielder Gabby Bennett (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) followed with a hard smash up the middle that deflected off Scott's glove into short right field to plate Vuono with the eventual winning run.
 
Rutgers-Camden put the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh when Garcia had a one-out infield single. After Scott grounded into a fielder's choice, Nichols hit a grounder to third and was called out on a bang-bang play at first base to end the game.
 
Platt (11-2) finished with a three-hitter, allowing only the one unearned run. She walked two and struck out seven. Scott (10-7) allowed nine hits, one walk and two earned runs in the nightcap, while striking out four.