Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 24, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team celebrated more than Senior Day at Rutgers-Camden Community Park here Tuesday.
 
The Scarlet Raptors also celebrated a great comeback that snapped their 10-game losing streak as they earned a doubleheader split against No. 25-ranked William Paterson University in New Jersey Athletic Conference action.
 
Rutgers-Camden rallied from a 5-0 deficit in the first game to post a 10-7 victory, sparked by a seven-run sixth inning. Paterson turned the tables in the nightcap with a seven-run fifth as it rallied from a 5-2 deficit to post a 13-5 victory.
 
The split leaves the Scarlet Raptors at 10-17 overall and 3-11 in the NJAC. The Pioneers stand at 21-13 overall and 8-8 in conference play.
 
Between games of the doubleheader, Rutgers-Camden celebrated Senior Day and honored its quartet of departing players in four-year letterwinner Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) and a trio of transfers who earned two softball letters apiece with the Scarlet Raptors: Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, NJ/Wildwood Catholic), Mariah Hans (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) and Gabby Pfeiffer (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley).
 
Rutgers-Camden closes its season with a pair of NJAC road doubleheaders, including a makeup twinbill at Ramapo College Thursday at 3 p.m. and a 1 p.m. battle at Kean University Saturday.
   
The Pioneers struck for five runs in the third inning before the Scarlet Raptors chipped away with single runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, including a solo home run by Castellini in the fourth. The Pioneers built their lead to 7-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth before the Raptors got one back in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by winning pitcher Kendra Pfister (Dacula, GA/Dacula). That made it a 7-3 game, setting the stage for the Scarlet Raptors' huge sixth inning.
 

Mason singled to open the big inning and took second on an outfield error. Sophomore right fielder Lauren Glaze (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) followed with a punt single, putting runners on the corners, and a passed ball scored Mason with the first run of the inning, while sending Glaze racing to third. Paterson relieved freshman starter Sarah Byrnes with sophomore Andee Lupica and Raptor sophomore second baseman Rachel Edwards (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) drew a walk. Junior left fielder Kacie Pisani (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) loaded the bases with a bunt single. After a fielder's choice erased Glaze at the plate, Hans walked to drive in the second run of the inning. Byrnes returned to the mound and was greeted by a RBI single from Pfister, making it a 7-6 game. Castellini tied the game with a RBI single to center and the Pioneers replaced Byrnes with freshman Alexis Davidson, who promptly walked Pfeiffer to force home the go-ahead run. Junior Allie Jenkins (Delanco, NJ/Riverside) came in to pinch-hit and delivered a big two-run single to left-center, capping the frame.
 
Pfister (5-10) went all the way for the Raptors, allowing 12 hits and two walks, while striking out two. She allowed seven runs, only five earned.
 
Rutgers-Camden's 15-hit attack included 3-for-4 games from Pisani and Castellini, who both scored two runs. Castellini, who had a huge performance in the doubleheader, also drove home a pair of runs.
 
Freshman shortstop Nina Arroyo (Delran, NJ/Delran), Pfister and Glaze all added two hits, while Pfister and Jenkins joined Castellini with a pair of RBIs.
 
For Paterson, freshman first baseman Caitlyn Massaro went 3-for-4.
   
The Pioneers flipped the script in the nightcap. After scoring a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, Paterson watched Rutgers-Camden score one in the bottom of the first and two apiece in the second and third innings to take a 5-2 lead. Castellini hit her second home run of the day, a solo shot, in the first inning, while freshman designated player Kennedy Whalen (Williamstown, NJ/Gateway Regional) ripped her first collegiate home run – a two-run shot to left center – in the second. In the third, Pfister singled home a run and the second run came home when Castellini stole home on the back end of a double steal with Pfister.
 
Unfortunately for Rutgers-Camden, Paterson had the lucky seven-run inning up its sleeve in the nightcap. The Pioneers cut their deficit to 5-3 with a run in the fourth before sending 13 batters to the plate in the fifth inning. Six had hits, seven scored and the bases were left full by the time the damage was contained. The biggest blow of the frame was a grand slam to center field by Pioneer junior third baseman Christine Griffith.
 
The Pioneers tacked on three more runs in the top of the seventh.
 
Paterson collected 13 hits off the pitching combination of Pfister and Whalen, led by 3-for-4 nights from sophomore right fielder Ryan Tighe and senior left fielder Kara Molnar. Both Molnar and Griffith collected four RBIs.
 
Castellini went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI for the Scarlet Raptors. She finished the day going 6-for-8 with four runs, three RBIs, one double and two home runs, while raising her batting average to .341. Pfister and Pisani both went 3-for-7 in the twinbill.