CAMDEN, N.J. (April 25, 2019) – Facing a nationally-ranked powerhouse from the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the Rutgers University-Camden softball team had no margin for error during its Senior Day doubleheader here Thursday.
 
A couple of key calls, however, started the snowball rolling downhill and the Scarlet Raptors ended up being swept by the Profs, 4-0 and 9-1, in a key NJAC doubleheader.
 
The loss leaves Rutgers-Camden one game behind Stockton University for the sixth and final NJAC playoff berth with two games remaining in the regular season. The Scarlet Raptors play Saturday with a 1 p.m. NJAC doubleheader against Rutgers-Newark in a twinbill that already has been moved to the College of Staten Island due to the anticipation of poor field conditions at Newark with Friday's rainy forecast. Both Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark own 5-11 NJAC records, one game behind 6-8 Stockton, which hosts 0-16 New Jersey City University.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, 10-20 overall, celebrated their five seniors between Thursday's games, honoring Dannie Dinsfriend, Lauren Glaze, Allie Jenkins, Kendra Pfister and Kacie Pisani.  

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Rowan, which is ranked No. 23 in this week's National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll, improves to 26-10 overall and 12-4 in the conference. The Profs received 12 no-hit innings from junior received no-hit pitching from junior Jesse DeDomenico over the course of the doubleheader, including a no-hitter in the opening game.
 
Rowan has won its last 19 games against Rutgers-Camden.
   
The first game was a scoreless duel between DeDomenico and Rutgers-Camden sophomore Sarah Byrnes entering the seventh inning before Rowan scored four times, aided by a controversial call at the plate. With one out, a walk to senior center fielder Kristina Mueller and a ground rule double by senior shortstop Carly Anderson put a pair of Profs in scoring position. DeDomenico followed by lining a shot off Byrnes' foot, but an alert reaction by Raptor freshman second baseman Jordan Howey fielded the carom and fired to sophomore catcher Alexis Davis, who applied the tag as Mueller was ruled out at the plate. Moments later, the out was reversed on an obstruction call and the tie-breaking run counted. Before the dust had cleared from the controversy and arguments, senior third baseman Cassandra Gerard launched a three-run homer to left center field.
 
Rutgers-Camden attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs on a pair of errors, sandwiched around a hit batsman. DeDomenico, however, induced a 1-2-3 double play and finished her shutout and no-hitter with a strikeout. DeDomenico (14-5) finished with four walks and seven strikeouts as she tossed the first no-hitter against Rutgers-Camden since Rowan's Lauren Shannon threw a five-inning perfect game against the Scarlet Raptors in a 9-0 win on April 17, 2018.
 
Byrnes finished with a seven-hitter, walking four, striking out two and allowing four earned runs. Both Byrnes and freshman left fielder Kimmy Musarra drew two walks apiece off DeDomenico.
 
Anderson had a big game for the Profs, going 4-for-4 with a double and one run scored at the top of the Rowan lineup.
   
The second game wasn't without controversy either, which happened after Rutgers-Camden grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Shannon, who walked Musarra and Davis before allowing a single to sophomore shortstop Nina Arroyo, loading the bases. One out later, junior first baseman Marissa Beebe walked to force home a run.
 
In the top of the second inning, sophomore second baseman Sonia Sharma led off with a single. Sophomore catcher Christina Guarino followed with a long fly ball that bounced squarely off the padding on top of the left field fence and bounded back into play. apparently placing runners at second and third. After another argument, the shot was ruled a two-run home run, giving the Profs a 2-1 lead. They added an unearned run later in the frame on an error and a RBI double by DeDomenico.
 
Rowan broke open the game in the last three innings, scoring a run in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in the seventh.
DeDomenico (15-5), who relieved Shannon to start the third inning, picked up her second win of the day with five more no-hit, shutout innings. She didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
 
Both DeDomenico and Gerard went 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI. Guarino was 1-for-3 with one run and three RBIs.
 
Rutgers-Camden managed two hits in the nightcap, both of them singles off of Shannon. Arroyo singled in the first inning and Musarra singled in the second. Musarra also reached base on a walk, while Davis drew two walks in the game.