CAMDEN, N.J. (March 23, 2021) – Facing an undefeated team that already had four games under its belt, the Rutgers University-Camden Scarlet Raptors opened their 2021 season here Tuesday with a pair of losses at Kean University.
 
The Cougars won the opener, 5-0, and took the nightcap, 10-1, in six innings.
 
Although both teams are members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the early-season games didn't count in the NJAC standings. The sweep lifted Kean to 6-0, while Rutgers-Camden fell to 0-2.  
The Cougars scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, aided by a bases-clearing two-out double from senior third baseman Maddie Carlson, who scored the fourth run on a single by junior catcher Jenn Majorczak. Kean added a run in the second on a pair of hits, including a RBI double from senior shortstop Gabriella Fredette.
 
Kean senior southpaw Taryn DiGiacomo, who entered the game having allowed only one hit in a pair of shutouts this season, tossed another shutout, allowing three hits and no walks, while striking out five. She allowed only three singles, with hits by junior center fielder Kimmy Musarra to lead off the game, by senior first baseman Marissa Beebe in the second inning and by junior left fielder Karlie Kennedy in the fourth.
 
Raptor senior hurler Sarah Byrnes hurled a six-inning complete game, allowing eight hits, two walks and five earned runs. Byrnes struck out eight. A trio of Kean hitters – DiGiacomo, Carlson and Majorczak – had two hits apiece.
   
Kean scored all the runs it needed in the bottom of the first inning after the Scarlet Raptors took a quick 1-0 lead. Rutgers-Camden scored when junior center fielder Kimmy Musarra walked, went to third on a single by designated player Byrnes and scored on the back end of a double steal.
 
The Cougars got that run back immediately when junior right fielder Paige Metz hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first inning. After a bunt single by Majorczak and a fielder's choice by senior second baseman Julie Raba, a throwing error raced Raba to third. She stole home for the go-ahead run.
 
The Cougars sent 10 batters to the plate in the second inning, taking advantage of five walks, a hit batsman and a RBI single by freshman left fielder Gianna Pickens to score four times. They added a pair of runs in both the fifth and the sixth innings, with a no-out, two-run bases-loaded single by junior catcher Skylar Hengeveld in the sixth inning ending the game by the eight-run rule.
 
Hengeveld, Metz and Carlson had two hits apiece, with Hengeveld driving in three runs.
 
The Raptors collected only two hits off winning pitcher Heather Clevenger (2-0). Byrnes had a first-inning single and sophomore second baseman Cate Petrucelli singled in the fifth.