Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

EWING, N.J. (April 5, 2017) – After opening its New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule with two road wins on Sunday, the Rutgers University-Camden softball team continued its fine conference start here Wednesday in another twinbill away from home.
 
Rutgers-Camden lost the opening game, 4-1, at The College of New Jersey before bouncing back to take a 7-6 decision in the nightcap, handing the Lions their first NJAC loss. Sophomore Jessica Thompson (Pedricktown, NJ/Penns Grove) worked 12 of the 13 innings on the mound for the Scarlet Raptors, picking up both decisions, while freshman shortstop Rachel Edwards (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) had big contributions in both games, going 2-for-4 with two walks, two runs and one RBI in the doubleheader. She also had four putouts and two assists on the day.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 3-1 in the NJAC and 11-11 overall, while TCNJ stands at 11-7 overall and also sports a 3-1 conference mark.
 
The results marked the third consecutive season the teams have split their regular-season doubleheader. TCNJ leads the all-time series, 26-17.
 
The Scarlet Raptors are scheduled to play a 4 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Arcadia University Thursday. They return home for a NJAC doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. against Ramapo College.
   

The Lions scored three times in the bottom of the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie. TCNJ collected five singles in the inning, including a two-run hit from sophomore first baseman Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) to break the tie and a pinch-hit RBI bunt single by senior Colleen Phelan (Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional).
 
Junior pitcher Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ/Mount Saint Dominic Academy) picked up the victory with a two-hitter, weathering eight walks and stranding nine runners on base. She struck out five in raising her record to 6-4.
 
Thompson worked five innings, allowing 10 hits and four earned runs as her record fell to 5-7.
 
TCNJ scored its first run in the third inning on three straight singles, including a run-scoring hit by freshman second baseman Annalise Suitovsky (Warren Township, NJ/Watchung Hills). Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the fourth on a RBI single by Edwards, the Raptors' first hit of the game. Their only other hit was a fifth-inning pinch-hit double by sophomore Allie Jenkins (Delanco, NJ/Riverside).
   
In the nightcap, TCNJ fought back from a 4-0 first-inning deficit to tie the score at 6-6 before Rutgers-Camden pushed across the winning run in the top of the sixth inning. Edwards drew a leadoff walk in the decisive frame and was sacrificed to second by Jenkins. Junior leftfielder Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) followed with a double to right-center field, plating Edwards with what proved to be the winning run.
 
The pitching decisions were reversed in the nightcap, with Thompson (6-7) hurling a complete game, allowing seven hits and six runs, only three earned. She didn't walk a batter all day in her 12 innings pitched and she struck out four in the nightcap.
 
Platt ((6-5) took the loss in relief of a pair of TCNJ pitchers. She worked the final six innings, allowing eight hits and three runs (two earned), while walking one and striking out five.
 
The Scarlet Raptors took advantage of four walks, a hit batsman and a pair of singles to plate four first-inning runs off a pair of TCNJ pitchers. Edwards had one of the hits in the frame, while junior catcher Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) added a RBI single. Castellini was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to collect one RBI, while freshman Ashley Croge (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) drew a pinch-hit RBI walk. The other Raptor run scored on a wild pitch.
 
Three hits and two errors helped TCNJ counter with three runs in the bottom of the first, with the final two runs being unearned. Rutgers-Camden came back with two runs in the second on two hits and a run-scoring error. Castellini plated one of the runs with a fielder's choice.
 
The Lions notched two runs in the third and tied the game with a run in the fourth before the Scarlet Raptors plated the winning run.
 
Senior centerfielder Megan Goodspeed (Florence, NJ/Florence) went 2-for-4 with two runs, while Castellini went 2-for-3 with one run and three RBIs for Rutgers-Camden. Junior second baseman Mariah Hans (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) went 2-for-4, while both Edwards and senior rightfielder Jalene Garcia (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) had one hit and two runs scored.
 
Garcia ended the game in spectacular fashion, catching a fly ball in right and cutting down the tying run at the plate with a strike to Mason for a double play.