CLERMONT, Fla. (March 22, 2019) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team closed its spring break trip to the PFX Spring Games here Friday splitting a pair of games.
 
The Raptors, who earned splits on all four days they played in Florida, won their opening game against McDaniel College (Westminster, Maryland), 4-1, behind the stellar pitching of sophomore Sarah Byrnes. In the second game, the Scarlet Raptors fell 5-3 against Western New England University (Springfield, Massachusetts).
 
Rutgers-Camden (4-4) returns to action on March 30 when it opens New Jersey Athletic Conference play with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at New Jersey City University.
 
Rutgers-Camden 4, McDaniel 1
 
Rutgers-Camden was held without a hit until the fifth inning, but the Scarlet Raptors rallied back from a 1-0 deficit to support another strong pitching performance by Byrnes. Byrnes (3-2) hurled a five-hitter, allowing only an unearned run in the fourth inning. She walked two and struck out eight.
 
The Green Terror scored its unearned run on a two-out single by Megan Coyle, an infield error and a RBI single to right field by Madison Froemel. That run looked huge, the way McDaniel freshman Krista Waller was pitching, throwing perfect ball over the first four innings. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Raptor junior first baseman Marissa Beebe broke up the perfect game, the no-hitter, the shutout and McDaniel's lead with one swing, hitting a leadoff home run to left center field to tie the score at 1-1. It was the Scarlet Raptors' first home run of the season.
 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead with a three-run sixth inning, sparked when freshman center fielder Kimmy Musarra was hit by a pitch. One out later, sophomore catcher Alexis Davis had a bunt single and Waller was relieved by Cassie Rickrode. Beebe greeted Rickrode with a single to load the bases and Byrnes reached on a RBI fielder's choice. A wild pitch scored one run and freshman second baseman Alexis Schauer, playing in her first collegiate game, singled up the middle to plate another run.
 
Beebe and Schauer both went 2-for-3 with one RBI in the game. Beebe also scored two runs. Sophomore catcher Alexis Davis stretched her season-opening hitting streak to seven games.
 
Western New England 5, Rutgers-Camden 3
 
Western New England scored five runs over the first two innings – three of them unearned – off of Byrnes. The Golden Bears weathered a three-run third inning by the Scarlet Raptors as they improved to 7-5.
 
Rutgers-Camden's three-run third started with a one-out walk to freshman shortstop Jordan Howey, who stole second base. One out later, junior first baseman Marissa Beebe and Byrnes had back-to-back RBI doubles. Junior designated player Ashley Croge singled Byrnes to third and she scored on a passed ball.
 
Senior Kendra Pfister hurled the final four innings of two-hit shutout ball for the Scarlet Raptors, striking out two.
 
Byrnes went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI to account for half of the Raptors' four hits off of a pair of Western New England pitchers. Senior Lauren Glaze entered the game as a pinch runner before playing left field. She stole two bases in two attempts and also drew a walk.
 
Aimee Kistner worked the first six innings to collect the win for the Golden Bears, allowing four hits and three runs (two earned), while walking six and striking out seven. Paige Uliase retired the Scarlet Raptors in order in the seventh inning to earn the save.