Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 23, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Camden and William Paterson University softball teams worked extra innings in both of their New Jersey Athletic Conference games here Saturday night. By the time they completed eight innings in their two games, both teams had earned a split, with Rutgers-Camden posting a 2-1 win in the opener and William Paterson taking the nightcap, 3-1.
 
The split leaves the Raptors with a 16-16 record overall and a 6-8 mark in the NJAC. Paterson is 27-7 and 9-5.
 
Rutgers-Camden travels to Ursinus University for a 1 p.m. non-conference doubleheader Sunday. Paterson hosts NJAC-leading Rowan University Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
   
In a terrific pitching duel between two of the NJAC's top hurlers – Raptor senior Brittany Scott (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) and Pioneer junior Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South), both teams were scoreless until the eighth inning, when the international tie-breaker took effect to start off each inning with a runner at second base.
 
Paterson's runner, Podmajersky, scored on a single by junior shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, NJ/Livingston), but the Pioneers' lead didn't last long. In the bottom of the eighth, with junior rightfielder Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) on second base, Scott drilled a game-winning home run to left field.
 
Both teams had five hits apiece in the game, with Scott and sophomore second baseman Taylor Nichols (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) collecting two hits apiece for the Raptors. Wasilak had two hits for Paterson.

Scott allowed just two walks and one unearned run, while fanning four. Podmajersky (17-3) allowed two walks and two runs (one unearned). She struck out six.
   
The second game was another pitchers' duel, with both Scott and junior Abby Merryman (Washington Township, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) working for the Raptors, while junior Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) threw for the Pioneers.
 
The Raptors snapped a scoreless tie and set a program milestone in the fifth inning following a one-out single by Nichols. Garcia reached on a fielder's choice that didn't retire anyone, as Nichols was safe at second on an error. With two outs, senior third baseman Katie Larson (Delran, NJ/Delran) singled to right center to knock home the 100th run of her stellar career. Larson became only the fourth player in program history to reach the 100-RBI milestone.
 
Down to their last out in the seventh inning, however, the Pioneers suddenly tied the game on a home run to left field by senior left fielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge). That set up another eighth-inning tie-breaker scenario, and this time it was the Pioneers who prevailed. An error on a sacrifice placed runners at first and third with no outs before Scott retired a pair of batters on a pop to shortstop and a strikeout. Wasilak, however, scored the tie-breaking run from third on a wild pitch and junior designated player Salina Pellios (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) added an RBI single.
 
Rutgers-Camden's comeback threat died in the bottom of the eighth with a double play and a runner thrown out at the plate.
The Raptors managed only seven hits and one unearned run off of Castelli (10-4), who walked three and struck out five. Merryman threw four innings of shutout, three-hit ball and Scott (12-12) allowed only two hits in her four innings, being touched for three runs – only one earned – while walking two and striking out two.