CAMDEN, N.J. (March 29, 2025) – Senior first baseman Luci Hutchinson doubled home the tying run and junior shortstop Gianna Bauer added the game-winning single as the Rutgers-Camden scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat New Jersey City University, 7-6, in the opening game of the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule for both teams.
 
In the second game of the doubleheader, NJCU scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to break open a tie game and earn the split with an 8-4 victory.
 
The results leave both teams with 1-1 NJAC records. Rutgers-Camden is 3-14 overall and NJCU is 14-6.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. NJAC doubleheader at Ramapo College.
   
NJCU broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the eighth inning on an error, but the Scarlet Raptors rallied for two in the bottom of the frame. After freshman Zoie Mantzell was placed at second base as the extra-inning ghost runner, Hutchinson hit an opposite-field ground rule double down the right field line to tie the game. Sophomore right fielder Kali Baker singled Hutchinson to third base and Bauer followed with the game-winning single to center field.
 
New Jersey City took an early 3-0 lead with single runs in each of the first two innings. Rutgers-Camden cut its deficit with two runs in the bottom of the third inning on a pair of walks, a wild pitch, a run-scoring error and an RBI ground out by sophomore second baseman Madi Carr.
 
The Gothic Knights got those two runs back in the top of the fourth, but Rutgers-Camden tied the game with a three-run fifth inning, featuring three hits. Senior left fielder Emily Dubiago started the rally with a one-out single and went to third on a double by sophomore third baseman Alana Gannon. Sophomore designated player Devyn Jordan plated Dubiago with a ground out and Carr walked and stole second base. Senior catcher Kendall Lafferty followed with a clutch two-out, two-run double to left field, tying the game.
 
Sophomore Molly Skelly hurled a complete game, allowing eight hits and three walks, while fanning two. Skelly (2-2) allowed only two earned runs out of the six charged against her.
 
Lafferty had a huge game, going 4-for-4 with two RBIs, while Hutchinson went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Bauer was 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
   
The Gothic Knights broke open a 4-4 tie with four runs on five hits in the top of the seventh inning. After two hits left runners at first and third with one out, senior second baseman Cheyenn Fulton plated the eventual winning run with an infield single. Later in the frame, sophomore Emma Grochowski had a two-run single and junior designated player Natalie Rosales added a sacrifice fly.
 
An RBI triple by Gannon and a run-scoring ground out by Jordan gave the Raptors a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but NJCU countered with three runs in the top of the second. Freshman center fielder Meaghan Doyle had a two-run single in the inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a pair of hits, a sacrifice and a wild pitch.
 
An RBI single by Lender put the Raptors ahead in the fifth inning, but Rosales tied the game in the sixth with an RBI ground out.
 
Lafferty went 3-for-3 in the second game to complete her day with an impressive 7-for-7 performance. Both Hutchinson and Bauer added four hits in the doubleheader.