CAMDEN, N.J. (April 10, 2021) – Rutgers University-Camden junior Karlie Kennedy showed how to come through in a pinch and as a result, she helped the Scarlet Raptors split a big New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader against Montclair State University here Saturday.
 
Kennedy drilled a pinch-hit grand slam in the opening game to lift the Raptors to a 6-3 victory. The Red Hawks bounded back in the nightcap for a 4-2 win.
 
The split leaves the Raptors' record at 4-4 overall and 4-2 in NJAC play. Montclair State stands at 4-2 and 3-1.
 
Rutgers-Camden will host The College of New Jersey in a 3 p.m. NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday.
   
Montclair State had just broken a 2-2 tie with a run in the top of the fifth inning when the Scarlet Raptors loaded the bases on singles by junior center fielder Kimmy Musarra and senior shortstop Nina Arroyo and a walk to junior designated player Alexis Schauer, sandwiched around a fielder's choice and a strikeout. Kennedy was inserted as a pinch-hitter and delivered the go-ahead grand slam over the left field wall.
 
The shot made a winner out of senior pitcher Sarah Byrnes, who scattered nine hits and one walk, while allowing three earned runs. She struck out five.
 
Montclair had taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI double by sophomore first baseman Kayla Gallo, who had a huge game, going 3-for-3 with three RBIs, including two doubles and a fourth-inning home run. Rutgers-Camden, however, bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the frame on singles by Musarra and Arroyo, a sacrifice by Byrnes, a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Marissa Beebe and a RBI double by Schauer.
 
After Gallo's home run tied the game in the fourth, a pair of doubles by the Red Hawks scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth. Gallo had the RBI double.
 
Arroyo went 4-for-4 in the opener with two runs, Musarra was 3-for-4 with one run and Schauer went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI, in addition to Kennedy's big grand slam.
   
Moments after Rutgers-Camden tied the game with a two-run sixth inning, the Red Hawks plated two runs of their own to win the game in the seventh. Montclair State used three singles, a sacrifice and an error to plate the runs, with the go-ahead run coming home on a single by sophomore right fielder Alexis Law, followed by an outfield error. Junior shortstop Amber Powers singled home an insurance run.
 
Montclair State scored a pair of first-inning runs on three doubles, but Byrnes settled down in the second game and held the Red Hawks scoreless until the seventh inning. Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. The Raptors loaded the bases with one out on singles by Beebe and Kennedy, sandwiched around a walk to Schauer. The Scarlet Raptors then received another clutch pinch-hitting appearance when senior Alexis Davis lined a two-run single to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Junior Alyssa Borozan (1-0) collected the win with 1.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits. Byrnes (4-3) took the loss, allowing eight hits and four earned runs in her second complete game of the day. She struck out three and didn't walk a batter.
 
Powers and freshman designated player/left fielder Kayla Cosentino both had two hits for the Red Hawks.
 
Musarra, Byrnes and Beebe had two hits apiece for the Scarlet Raptors, while Davis was 1-for-1 with the two RBIs.