CAMDEN, N.J. (April 5, 2022) – Shortly before the start of its New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader against Rowan University here Tuesday, the Rutgers University-Camden softball team saw its opponent climb in the NFCA Division III national rankings from No. 19 to No. 18.
 
The Profs looked every bit that strong as they wound up sweeping a pair of five-inning games from the Scarlet Raptors here Tuesday.
 
Rowan collected 26 runs and 25 hits on the day as it won 12-0 and 14-1. The Profs raised their record to 19-5 overall and 4-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Rutgers-Camden fell to 4-9 overall and 1-3 in conference play.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Thursday when they host Alvernia College in a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader.
   
While the Profs were collecting 12 hits and 12 runs against a pair of Scarlet Raptor pitchers, while taking advantage of four Rutgers-Camden errors, senior hurler Emily August was tossing a two-hit shutout. August (9-3) struck out four and allowed only a pair of singles by Raptor junior second baseman Cate Petrucelli. Petrucelli went 2-for-2 in the contest.
 
Rowan broke open a scoreless game with five runs in the top of the third inning, aided by four hits, two erros and two walks. The big hit of the frame was a two-run single by freshman second baseman Liz McCaffery. The Profs added three runs in the fourth and four in the fifth, with the key hit in that frame being a bases-clearing double by sophomore third baseman Breanna Bryant.
 
Four Rowan players ended up with two hits apiece, including Bryant and McCaffery, who had three and two RBIs, respectively.
   
The Profs scored five runs over the first two innings to take control of the game and broke the contest wide open with an eight-run fifth inning. The inning featured five walks, four hits and two hit batsmen.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored their lone run in the bottom of the fifth inning after starter Rylee Lutz (9-1) was taken out of the game. Junior center fielder Kimmy Musarra had a bunt single, senior shortstop Meg Gray walked and sophomore catcher Olivia Bull reached on a fielder's choice that erased Gray at second base. While Bull was in a rundown caught stealing, Musarra scored from third.
 
McCaffery went 3-for-3 with two runs for Rowan. Senior left fielder Morgan Zane went 2-for-2 with three runs and three RBIs, including a solo home run and a double. Sophomore first baseman Cat Thomas went 1-for-3 with three RBIs.
 
Musarra went 2-for-3 with the lone run scored for the Scarlet Raptors. Petrucelli, junior designated player/pitcher Rachel White and freshman third baseman Luci Hutchinson each added a single to account for the rest of the Raptors' five-hit attack.
 
Freshman pitcher Lindsey Rodzon (1-4) suffered the loss in both games.