Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 18, 2017) – Rowan University junior designated player Morgan Smith (Millsboro, DE/Sussex Central) went 6-for-7 with five doubles, a sacrifice fly and five RBIs, while two Profs pitchers held Rutgers University-Camden to six total hits in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader here Tuesday.
 
Rowan, ranked No. 5 nationally in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25 poll, won the opening game, 8-0, in six innings and took an 8-1 decision in the nightcap. The Profs, who have won seven straight games, improve to 29-3 overall and 10-2 in the NJAC.
 
Rutgers-Camden falls to 12-18 overall and 4-8 in the conference. The Scarlet Raptors have lost their last 14 games against Rowan in the all-time series and 18 of their last 19.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Saturday with a 1 p.m. NJAC doubleheader at Montclair State University.
   
Freshman Lauren Shannon (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) raised her record to 14-0 with a two-hit shutout over six innings. She walked one and struck out four as Rowan won its fourth consecutive game that was stopped early by the eight-run mercy rule.
 
The Profs scored all the runs Shannon needed with four in the second inning, which featured five singles and a pair of walks.
 
Senior first baseman Damariz Mercado (Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield) led the Profs' 12-hit attack off of Raptor sophomore hurler Jessica Thompson (Pedricktown, NJ/Penns Grove). Mercado went 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs. Sophomore rightfielder Kristina Mueller (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) and Smith both went 2-for-3, including a pair of doubles by Smith.
 
Thompson (7-13) hurled a complete game, allowing eight runs (seven earned) and three hits. She struck out four.
 
Rutgers-Camden had only one hit off Shannon over the first five innings – a flair single to left field by freshman shortstop Rachel Edwards (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) leading off the second inning. The only other hit was a single to left by senior second baseman Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) with one out in the sixth.
   
Rutgers-Camden collected six hits in the nightcap off of Profs pitcher Ashley Lesch (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls), but the junior righty raised her record to 5-1 with plenty of offensive support from her teammates. She walked one and struck out three.
 
Sophomore Dannie Dinsfriend (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) hurled a complete game for Rutgers-Camden, allowing 16 hits, two walks and eight runs, with only four earned. Dinsfriend (1-3) struck out one.
 
Smith paced the Profs' attack with a 4-for-4, four-RBI game, which included three doubles and a sacrifice fly. Mueller and junior leftfielder Mia Baldassari (Lake Hopatcong, NJ/Morris Knolls) both added three hits, while sophomore second baseman Gianna Decker (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) had a solo home run among her two hits.
 
Rowan scored a first-inning run on a RBI single by Smith and then added three unearned runs in the second inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden broke Lesch's shutout bid with a run in the sixth inning. Sophomore rightfielder Allie Jenkins (Delanco, NJ/Riverside) opened the frame with a single – her second hit of the day – and advanced on a single by junior leftfielder Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, NJ/Wildwood Catholic). After a double play, Edwards singled up the middle to plate Jenkins with the Raptors' lone run of the day.
 
Edwards and Jenkins both went 2-for-3 in the game, while Castellini and Garcia added the other Raptor hits.