UNION, N.J. (April 28, 2023) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team celebrated its Senior Day after the school's baseball game Thursday, since the Scarlet Raptors' field was unplayable for a non-conference doubleheader.
 
The Raptors were hoping to celebrate again on Friday at Kean, but the Cougars' doubleheader sweep knocked Rutgers-Camden out of a berth in the upcoming six-team New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs. With Kean's 9-0 and 3-0 victories, coupled with William Paterson sweeping Rutgers-Newark in its final regular-season NJAC games, the Pioneers leaped into the playoffs over the Scarlet Raptors.
 
Rutgers-Camden closed its season with a 7-11 NJAC record, slightly behind Paterson, which earned its berth with a 7-10-1 conference mark.
 
Rutgers-Camden ends the spring with a 10-24 record, one day after honoring seniors Jayden Hunter, Cate Petrucelli, Zoe Rodriguez and Rachel White.
 
Senior Day photo gallery
 
Kean, which has won 15 straight games against Rutgers-Camden since the Raptors' opening-game win of a doubleheader on April 10, 2016, improved to 24-14 overall and 9-9 in the NJAC.
   
In the opening game, White and Kean fifth-year hurler Heather Clevenger were locked in a scoreless pitching duel until the Cougars exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Clevenger stranded a pair of runners in the top of the fifth inning to end the game early on the eight-run mercy rule.
 
Kean sent 14 batters to the plate in its big fourth inning, collecting nine hits and two walks, while taking advantage of two Raptor errors. Five of the runs were unearned off White (0-10), who allowed 12 hits and three walks, while striking out one. Clevenger (6-2) allowed four hits and one walk, while fanning four.
 
Kean's graduate student designated player, Sydney Hixenbaugh, led off the big fourth inning with a home run. By the time she came to bat again in the inning and produced a double, the Pioneers had built a 6-0 lead. Moments later, junior third baseman Karly Messina hit a two-run single and freshman second baseman Emily Zuppa singled home the final run of the frame.
 
Hixenbaugh finished 3-for-3 with two runs and one RBI for Kean, while being a triple shy of a cycle. Raptor sophomore left fielder Emily Dubiago went 2-for-2 with a single and a double.
   
The second game was a duel between Raptor sophomore pitcher Lindsey Rodzon and her Kean counterpart, senior Annabella Marino. Marino tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out six, as she raised her record to 8-6. Rodzon (10-14) allowed only four hits and three runs, one of them unearned, while walking one and struck out three.
 
The only run Kean needed came in the second inning when a leadoff single by Messina, a sacrifice and a two-out RBI single by junior first baseman Autaum Hilyer broke the scoreless tie. The Cougars added two runs in the fourth inning on two hits and an error.
 
Rutgers-Camden broke up Marino's no-hit bid on a two-out single in the fifth inning by junior shortstop Meg Gray. The only other Raptor hit was a leadoff single in the seventh by junior designated player Kamryn Kennedy.