Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 11, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team finally had a chance to open its season as it headed south for the spring break week at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in South Carolina. On the opening day of action, the Scarlet Raptors split a pair of games, losing to the College of St. Scholastica (Duluth, Minn.) in a six-inning, 12-4 game, before bouncing back to defeat Sarah Lawrence College (Bronxville, N.Y.), 10-4. The victory over Sarah Lawrence was the first collegiate win for first-year Raptor Head Coach Meredith McCarthy.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic on Monday. They face Gettysburg College at 9:30 a.m. and Lycoming College at 11:30 a.m.
   
The Saints had back-to-back five-run innings in the second and third to wipe out an early 2-0 Rutgers-Camden lead and went on to post a 12-4 victory. The game was stopped in the bottom of the sixth inning after St. Scholastica scored two runs to halt the contest under the eight-run rule.
 
The Saints, who improved to 2-7, collected six hits in their five-run second inning. In their five-run third, they took advantage of two hits, two walks, a hit batsman and three Scarlet Raptor errors.
 
Rutgers-Camden had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, sparked by a leadoff infield single by sophomore center fielder Caitlyn Kliniewski (Deptford, NJ/Deptford). Freshman second baseman Nina Arroyo (Delran, NJ/Delran) followed with a bunt single and senior left fielder Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) reached on a fielder's choice, retiring Kliniewski at third. One out later, Arroyo and Castellini pulled a double steal and freshman right fielder Maggie Foss (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) walked to load the bases. Senior first baseman Mariah Hans (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights), pictured above, followed with a two-run double. Hans led the team on the day with three RBIs in the two games.
 
Rutgers-Camden scored its final two runs in the fifth after Arroyo drew a leadoff walk and advanced on a passed ball. Castellini had an infield single and the two Raptors pulled a double steal, with Arroyo swiping home. Foss singled home Castellini for the final Raptor run.
 
St. Scholastica freshman designated player Nicole Anders (Port Angeles, WA/Sequim) paced the Saints' offense with four RBIs, going 2-for-3 with two runs, while senior left fielder Cindi Rydlund (Lino Lakes, MN/Centennial) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
 
Rutgers-Camden received one hit apiece from six different players, with Hans collecting two RBIs.
   
The Scarlet Raptors' second game was nearly the exact opposite of the first contest. This time, it was Rutgers-Camden that fell into a 2-0 first-inning hole before rallying for the win.
 
After Gryphons sophomore pitcher Karissa McAuley (Loudonville, NY/Colonie) hit a two-run double in the opening frame, the Scarlet Raptors bounced back to tie the contest with a two-run second inning. Foss, who had a huge 4-for-4 game in her second collegiate contest, opened the rally with a double and advanced to third on a single by sophomore catcher Ashley Croge (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling). One out later, sophomore shortstop Rachel Edwards Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) hit an RBI single and advanced to second when Croge was thrown out at third. Edwards scored the tying run on a single by senior third baseman Gabby Pfeiffer (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley).
 
Sarah Lawrence regained the lead with a single run in the third, but the Scarlet Raptors took the lead for good with a three-run fourth inning. The winning rally was sparked by freshman pitcher Kennedy Whalen (Williamstown, NJ/Gateway Regional), who hurled a complete game to win her first collegiate start. Whalen opened the frame with a double and senior Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) was inserted as a pinch-runner. Mason scored on a double by Edwards. One out later, Edwards scored on a ground out by junior right fielder Kacie Pisani (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights). A single by Arroyo and an RBI triple by Castellini scored the inning's final run.
 
 
Rutgers-Camden tacked on one run in the fifth and had two-run frames in the sixth and seventh innings. Foss tripled and scored on a single by Croge in the fifth. In the sixth, a double by Arroyo, an RBI single by Hans and an RBI triple by Foss plated the two runs. The two triples by Foss tied a single-game program record held by several players, with the last to accomplish the feat being Castellini against Alfred State on March 13, 2017. With nine total bases in the game – two triples, a double and a single – Foss was one shy of tying another single-game program mark, shared by three players.
 
The Raptors' two-run seventh included three hits, including an RBI single by Arroyo.
 
In addition to the 4-for-4 performance by Foss, Edwards went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBIs and Arroyo was 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Castellini, Croge and Pfeiffer added two hits apiece as the team's 19 hits were three shy of the program's single-game mark of 22, set against York (NY) College on March 20, 2015.
 
Whalen earned her first win with a seven-hitter, allowing four runs (three earned) and three walks. She struck out two.