READING, Penn. (March 11, 2025) – The Alvernia University softball team pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning of the nightcap as the Golden Wolves swept Rutgers University-Camden, 4-2 and 2-1, in a non-conference doubleheader here Tuesday.
 
Alvernia improves to 7-5, while Rutgers-Camden falls to 0-6.
 
The Scarlet Raptors start their spring break southern trip on Saturday with a game against
   
Junior Natalie Berwick threw a six-hitter, allowing only two earned runs in the top of the first inning, as Alvernia rallied to defeat the Scarlet Raptors. Berwick (1-1) walked two and struck out one.
 
Rutgers-Camden scored its runs following a leadoff walk by junior shortstop Gianna Bauer. Freshman second baseman Madi Carr sacrificed her to second and senior left fielder Emily Dubiago singled to put runners at the corners. Sophomore designated player Devyn Jordan doubled home the first run and senior third baseman Luci Hutchinson plated the second run with a ground out.
 
Alvernia came back to tie the game in the bottom of the first inning on three walks, one hit and one error that led to the tying unearned run. The teams battled into the bottom of the fourth inning locked in a 2-2 tie before senior third baseman Payton Splain hit a two-out solo home run. The Golden Wolves added an insurance run in the fifth inning on a walk, a stolen base and an RBI single by freshman designated player Angelina Sponheimer.
 
Sophomore Anna Milillo (0-1) took the loss, working four innings and allowing three hits, four walks and three runs, two of them earned. Freshman Izzy Carels worked the last two frames, allowing two hits, two walks and one earned run. She struck out one.
 
Senior catcher Kendall Lafferty had a pair of singles as the only player with multiple hits in the game.
    
After both teams traded runs in the first inning, the game remained deadlocked at 1-1 until the bottom of the seventh inning, when junior right fielder Alexia Fitzgerald started the winning rally with a one-out double, After the bases were loaded on a bunt single and an intentional walk, junior right fielder Meryn Bellacima delivered a game-winning single to right field.
 
Raptor sophomore Sammie Friel (0-3) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, working 6.1 innings and allowing seven hits and two earned runs. She walked four and struck out five.
 
Junior Kelsey Racine (3-1) picked up the win with 2.1 innings of one-hit shutout relief for junior starter Ashlyn Hillanbrand. Hillanbrand worked 4.2 innings of four-hit ball, walking three and allowing one earned run.
 
The Raptors scored in the first inning when Bauer had a leadoff single, advanced to second when Carr reached on a fielder's choice and reached third on an infield single by Dubiago. After Bauer was forced out at the plate on a fielder's choice, Lafferty singled home the Raptors' run. Lafferty ended the day going 3-for-6 with one RBI.
 
Alvernia tied the game in the bottom of the frame after a single and stolen base by Fitzgerald. A bunt single by sophomore catcher Summer Montgomery ended up scoring Fitzgerald on an infield throwing error.
 
Fitzgerald went 3-for-4 and Montgomery went 2-for-4 for the Golden Wolves.
 
In addition to Lafferty's three hits in the twinbill, Rutgers-Camden also received two hits apiece from Dubiago and freshman Ryleigh Lender. Dubiago, who had a hit in both games, stretched her season-opening hitting streak to six games.