Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3


NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 13, 2018) – After a pair of rainouts on Monday, the Rutgers University-Camden softball team was well-rested for a marathon tripleheader here Tuesday at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in South Carolina.
 
The marathon tripleheader was worth every moment as the Scarlet Raptors swept all three games, defeating Keystone College (9-5), Bay Path University (8-1) and Shaw University (7-5).
 
Rutgers-Camden, 4-1, will play a pair of makeup games from Monday's rainouts with rescheduled action on Wednesday. The Raptors face Gettysburg College at 3:30 p.m. and Lycoming College at 5:30 p.m.
   
The Scarlet Raptors built an early 5-1 lead through 2-1/2 innings, aided by three Keystone errors that led to four unearned runs. Four of those runs – three unearned – came across in the top of the first inning on three hits and a pair of errors. The inning was sparked by a leadoff triple from freshman second baseman Nina Arroyo (Delran, NJ/Delran). Senior left fielder Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, NJ/Wildwood Catholic) had a two-run double in the frame and two runs scored on the combination of an RBI ground out by sophomore shortstop Rachel Edwards (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) and an infield throwing error.
 
Freshman pitcher Kennedy Whalen (Williamstown, NJ/Gateway Regional) singled home an unearned run in the third after Castellini had reached on an error in right field.
 
Keystone notched one run in the second and exploded for three runs in the third, aided by a three-run home run from freshman shortstop Paige Mokychic to cut the gap to 5-4. Three innings later, clinging to a 6-5 lead, the Scarlet Raptors put a three-spot on the board, aided by three errors and three singles. Edwards capped the frame with an RBI single.
 
Arroyo led the Raptor attack, going 3-for-5 with two runs. Junior right fielder Kacie Pisani (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) and Whalen both added two hits. Whalen picked up the win to raise her record to 2-0, working four innings and allowing six hits, two walks and four earned runs. Junior Kendra Pfister (Dacula, GA/Dacula) nailed down the save with three innings of two-hit ball, walking two, striking out four and allowing only one unearned run.
   
Pfister, pictured above, earned her first win of the season and first of two on the day as she worked six innings, scattering six hits and one walk while allowing one run. She struck out seven batters before junior Dannie Dinsfriend (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) finished the game with a scoreless seventh inning.
 
The game was close all the way until Rutgers-Camden scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to break it open. The Scarlet Raptors sent 12 batters to the plate and produced six hits, including a two-run double by Castellini and a two-run single by senior third baseman Gabby Pfeiffer (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley).
 
Castellini went 2-for-4 with one run and three RBIs, while Arroyo was 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI. Both of Castellini's hits were doubles, including an RBI two-bagger in the first inning. Edwards had a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give the Raptors a 2-1 lead, scoring senior first baseman Mariah Hans (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights), who had reached on a double.
   
The Scarlet Raptors capped their long day with a stellar comeback, scoring three runs in the top of the seventh inning to stun Shaw University (Raleigh, North Carolina), 7-5.
 
Arroyo opened the winning rally with a single and Pisani was hit by a pitch. After a ground out moved up both runners, Castellini delivered a two-run triple to center field, giving the Raptors a 6-5 lead. Edwards added a two-out RBI single to plate Castellini with an insurance run.
 
Pfister (2-1) picked up the victory in relief, working the final three innings for starter Whalen. Pfister allowed two hits, one walk and three runs (two earned) while striking out one.
 
Shaw scored single runs in the third and fourth innings before the Scarlet Raptors tied the game in the fifth on a two-out, two-run single by Arroyo. She chased home Edwards and senior catcher Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove), who both reached on singles.
 
The Bears bounced right back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, aided by a two-run triple from junior shortstop Christine Ngeve, who completed her trip around the bases on a throwing error.
 
Rutgers-Camden cut its deficit to 5-4 with two unearned runs in the fifth on two hits, a walk and an error. Edwards singled home one run, while Mason plated another with a sacrifice fly, setting the stage for the big seventh-inning rally.
 
Edwards went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs in the game, while Castellini was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs and Arroyo was 2-for-4 with one run and two RBIs.
 
Over the three games, Edwards went 5-for-9 (.556) with two runs and five RBIs, while Arroyo was 7-for-14 (.500) with four runs and three RBIs. Castellini was 5-for-12 (.417) with five runs and seven RBIs.