CLERMONT, Florida (March 12, 2024) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team played dropped a pair of games here Tuesday at the PFX Spring Games, losing a five-inning game against Wesleyan University, 10-2, before dropping a 4-0 game against Lakeland University.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, 2-4, return to action on Thursday in Clermont. They will play Wisconsin Lutheran College at 9 a.m. and SUNY-Fredonia at 11:30 a.m.
   
The Cardinals led, 4-2, going to the bottom of the fifth inning before exploding for six runs on five hits and three Raptor errors to end the game early with the eight-run mercy rule.
 
Wesleyan (Middletown, Conn.) scored three times in the first inning on five hits, including a bases-clearing double by sophomore first baseman Cat Palmer, who finished the day 2-for-3 with one run and four RBIs.
 
The Scarlet Raptors got on the board with a run in the third inning on an error and two hits, including an RBI single by junior third baseman Luci Hutchinson. Rutgers-Camden added another run in the fourth inning, cutting the gap to 3-2, on an RBI single by senior shortstop Meg Gray. The Cardinals, however, matched that run with two doubles in the bottom of the fourth inning before ending the game early with their six-run fifth.
 
Junior right fielder Lizzie Marino and freshman shortstop Waverly Smart both went 3-for-3 with two runs scored at the top of the Wesleyan lineup. Marino had two RBIs and Smart added one.
 
Sophomore second baseman Gianna Bauer went 2-for-2 with one run for the Raptors, while Gray was 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
 
Junior pitcher Isabella Secaira-Cotto (1-0) hurled a five-hitter for the 2-1 Cardinals, allowing only two unearned runs and one walk, without striking out a batter. Raptor junior Lindsey Rodzon (0-3) worked four innings, allowing nine hits and five earned runs. She walked one and struck out two.
   
The Muskies scored three of their runs in the first inning off Raptor freshman Sammie Friel, on four hits and two errors, with the lone RBI hit sophomore catcher Abby Heitman. That output was more than enough for her batterymate, senior Skylar Hall, who raised her record to 2-0 with a three-hit shutout, walking two and striking out five.
 
Lakeland (Plymouth, Wisconsin) added its final run in the fifth inning when Heitman walked, stole second, advanced on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore third baseman Peyton Harlow.
 
Harlow and senior second baseman Madi Johnson had two hits apiece for the Muskies, who improved to 4-2.
 
Rutgers-Camden received singles from Gray, Bauer and sophomore first baseman Bella Lynch.