CAMDEN, N.J. (April 1, 2023) – Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Rodzon earned wins as a starter and a reliever, and outfielders Jayden Hunter and Emily Dubiago extended long hitting streaks as the Rutgers University-Camden softball team swept New Jersey City University, here Saturday, in the first New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader of the season for both teams.
 
The Scarlet Raptors won the opener, 6-2, and had a five-inning 10-2 win in the nightcap on the eight-run mercy rule.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 5-13 overall and 2-0 in the NJAC with its third win in the last four games. NJCU falls to 8-8 overall and 0-2 in the conference.
 
The Scarlet Raptors will travel to Glassboro Tuesday for a 3 p.m. NJAC doubleheader against Rowan University, which is currently ranked 15th in the NFCA Division III poll.
   
Rodzon hurled a five-hitter in the opener, allowing only one earned run, while walking two and striking out four. She allowed a run in the first inning on a leadoff ground rule double by junior shortstop Emily Tunney, a stolen base and a run-scoring ground out by junior second baseman Mariah Villanueva.
 
The Gothic Knights added an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning on an error, a sacrifice and a RBI single by freshman right fielder Yavely Marrero.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, senior catcher Zoe Rodriguez hit a leadoff single and was sacrificed to second by junior shortstop Danielle Quinones. Freshman Ava Maloof was inserted as a pinch-runner for Rodriguez and moved to third on an infield single by sophomore left fielder Dubiago. Moments later, senior right fielder Hunter unloaded a three-run home run to put the Raptors on top. Junior center fielder Alexa McNee added a single, stole second and scored on a single by sophomore third baseman Luci Hutchinson.
 
The Raptors added two runs in the sixth inning, sparked by a leadoff double from senior second baseman Cate Petrucelli. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and the runners advanced on a sacrifice by freshman first baseman Bella Lynch. Quinones squeezed home Petrucelli and Dubiago singled home Rodriguez.
 
McNee and Dubiago both went 2-for-3, while Hunter had three RBIs with her home run.
   
In the nightcap, Rodzon relieved senior starter Rachel White with two outs in the fourth inning, the bases loaded and the Scarlet Raptors clinging to a 4-2 lead. She got a ground out to escape the jam and hurled 1.1 innings of no-hit shutout ball, striking out one, to raise her record to 5-7.
 
After NJCU scored a first-inning run, the Scarlet Raptors bounced back with two in the bottom of the frame on four straight singles by McNee, Hutchinson, White and Rodriguez, with Rodriguez picking up an RBI. Hutchinson scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
 
The Raptors added two runs in the third inning on a single by McNee, a double by Hutchinson, an RBI sacrifice by White and a RBI fielder's choice by Rodriguez.
 
The Gothic Knights cut the gap to 4-2 in the fourth inning on two hits and two walks, loading the bases before Rodzon worked out of the jam.
 
The Scarlet Raptors wrapped up the shorten game with six runs in the fifth inning to invoke the mercy rule ending. Rutgers-Camden used four hits, a hit batsman and three walks, including a walk to Petrucelli that forced home the deciding run.
 
Petrucelli started the frame with a single and ended it with an RBI walk. Lynch followed Petrucelli's single with a sacrifice, Quinones singled and Dubiago was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Petrucelli scored when the NJCU third baseman missed a pickoff throw from her catcher. Hunter had an RBI single and McNee walked to load the bases ahead of a Hutchinson RBI walk. Rodzon delivered a two-run double and Rodriguez walked to reload the bases. Petrucelli's walk ended the game.
 
McNee and Hutchinson both had two hits and three runs scored, while Petrucelli also added two hits. Hunter and Dubiago had one hit apiece to extend their hitting streaks to 12 and nine games, respectively.
 
Rodzon and Rodriguez had two RBIs apiece.

McNee went 4-for-6 with four runs in the doubleheader.