NEWARK, N.J. (April 28, 2022) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team was down to its last strike and facing a doubleheader sweep here Thursday, but the Scarlet Raptors rallied to earn a thrilling 9-8 victory in eight innings, earning a twinbill split with Rutgers-Newark in New Jersey Athletic Conference action.
 
The Scarlet Raiders won the opener, 6-2.
 
The split leaves Rutgers-Camden at 8-17 overall and 5-11 in the NJAC. Newark is 13-17 overall and also stands at 5-11 in the conference. The two teams are tied for seventh place, one game behind Montclair State (6-10) in the bid to reach the six-team NJAC playoffs. The regular season ends with doubleheaders Saturday as Camden hosts Kean University (locked in a three-way tie for first place in the NJAC with a 13-3 record) and Newark hosts William Paterson University (ninth place, 4-12). Montclair State, meanwhile, plays at fifth-place Stockton University (8-8).
   
The Scarlet Raiders scored all their runs in the first two innings, aided by six hits, a walk and an error off Raptor freshman Lindsey Rodzon. Rodzon (4-10) blanked Rutgers-Newark the rest of the way on three hits. In the first inning, junior catcher Megan Tomaselli hit a two-run double and in the second inning, junior pitcher Jackie Lara had a two-run single.
 
Lara hurled a four-hitter, allowing only two unearned runs in the fourth inning. Those runs were set up by singles from senior shortstop Meg Gray and sophomore left fielder Alexis McNee. They both scored when freshman right fielder Emily Dubiago reached on a two-out outfield error.
 
Dubiago went 2-for-3 in the game to account for half of the Scarlet Raptor hits.
   
Trailing, 7-6, and down to its last out in the top of the seventh inning, Rutgers-Camden rallied to tie the game before winning it in the eighth. With two outs and nobody on base in the seventh, McNee and junior first baseman Jayden Hunter both drew walks, setting the stage for sophomore pinch-hitter Zoe Rodriguez. After running the count to 2-2, Rodriguez singled to center field, scoring McNee with the tying run.
 
Rutgers-Camden continued its scoring in the eighth inning after junior second baseman Cate Petrucelli was placed at second base as the international tie-breaker runner. She advanced to third on a ground out and was squeezed home by Musarra. Musarra stole second base and, one out later, scored on a double to right center by senior designated player Alexis Schauer.
 
Rodzon limited Newark to only one run in the bottom of the inning, with the Scarlet Raiders scoring the automatic runner. Rodzon, who pitched all 14 innings during the doubleheader, raised her record to 5-10 by scattering 10 hits and seven walks. She struck out two.
 
Senior first baseman Riley Scuralli ripped a two-run triple in the bottom of the fourth inning for Newark to break a 4-4 deadlock, but the Scarlet Raptors tied the game in the top of the fifth after back-to-back doubles by McNee and Hunter placed two runners in scoring position. Both players scored on a bunt single by sophomore catcher Olivia Bull.
 
Newark regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by senior pitcher Michelle Capizzano, setting up the Scarlet Raptors' amazing comeback.
 
Musarra, freshman third baseman Luci Hutchinson and Bull had two hits apiece for Rutgers-Camden. Musarra scored three runs and McNee scored twice, while Hutchinson and Bull both had two RBIs. Rodriguez finished 1-for-1 with one RBI with her huge game-changing hit.