EWING, N.J. (April 10, 2019) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team received outstanding pitching again from sophomore Sarah Byrnes, but the Scarlet Raptors' offense was shut down by nationally-ranked The College of New Jersey here Wednesday as the Lions swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader, 2-0 and
 
The losses drop Rutgers-Camden to 6-14 overall and 2-6 in the NJAC. The Lions, ranked 20th in the nation in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III poll, improve to 21-5 overall and 8-0 in conference play.
 
TCNJ rode the shutout pitching of sophomores Eliza Sweet (9-2) and Alanna Namit (10-2). Byrnes pitched all 12 innings in the doubleheader, allowing 15 hits and seven runs (five earned). She walked three and struck out seven, but her record dropped to 4-9 despite an outstanding 1.62 ERA.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Saturday with another nationally-ranked NJAC opponent, entertaining No. 23 Kean University in a 1 p.m. twinbill.
   
Byrnes allowed an unearned run in the third inning on two hits and two errors, and TCNJ doubled its lead with a run in the fourth when center fielder Gabby Bennett doubled, stole third and scored on a ground out.
 
That was more than enough support for Sweet, who allowed only a second-inning walk to Raptor junior first baseman Marissa Beebe and a third-inning walk to freshman second baseman Jordan Howey over the first four innings. Byrnes led off the fifth with a double to left field, breaking up Sweet's no-hit bid, and the Raptors collected only two more hits, a pair of seventh-inning singles by Beebe and junior third baseman Rachel Edwards.
 
Byrnes finished with a six-hitter, allowing two runs (one earned) and one walk, while striking out five. Sweet's three-hit shutout included two walks and three strikeouts.
 
TCNJ shortstop Megan Mayern was the lone player in the game with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with one run scored.
   
Namit tossed a two-hit shutout in the nightcap, walking two and striking out two. She allowed only first-inning singles by sophomore shortstop Nina Arroyo and Byrnes. Only three other Raptors reached base, coming with walks to Howey and Byrnes in the third and fourth innings, respectively, and an error in the fifth that allowed senior designated player Kendra Pfister to reach first base.
 
Byrnes matched Namit's shutout pitching until the fourth inning, when the Lions scored a pair of runs, one of them unearned, on three hits and an error. The Lions added a fifth-inning run on a solo home run by third baseman Lauren Conro and plated two more in the sixth inning on three hits.
 
Byrnes allowed nine hits and five runs (four earned) in her second complete game of the day. She walked two and struck out two.