CAMDEN, N.J. (April 27, 2025) – The Rutgers University-Camden softball team found a thrilling way to end a tough season here Sunday as it scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to walk off Rutgers University-Newark, 13-5, in the second game of a Senior Day New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader.
 
Rutgers-Newark won the first game, 7-2, as both teams snapped long losing streaks on the final day of the season.
 
Rutgers-Camden's final game ended its 14-game losing streak and left the Scarlet Raptors with a 5-30 record to finish the 2025 campaign. The Scarlet Raptors posted a 3-15 record in the NJAC.
 
Newark's win in the opening game snapped its nine-game losing streak. The Scarlet Raiders finished their season at 12-26 overall and 2-16 in the NJAC.
 
Following the final game, Rutgers-Camden honored its three seniors, left fielder Emily Dubiago, first baseman Luci Hutchinson and catcher Kendall Lafferty. Dubiago and Hutchinson spent four years with the Scarlet Raptor program and both are members of the 100-hit club at Rutgers-Camden, with Dubiago earning her 100th hit Tuesday at Rowan and Hutchinson notching her 100th hit on Sunday. Lafferty spent two years with the Scarlet Raptors after starting her collegiate career at NJAC opponent Ramapo College.
   
The Scarlet Raiders broke open a 2-2 game with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, which started with a bad-hop single on a routine infield grounder. They added two more runs in the sixth inning and one in the seventh to support the seven-hit pitching of freshman Charly Peter. Peter allowed only one earned run, walked one and struck out three to raise her record to 6-11.
 
After Newark scored an unearned run in the top of the first inning, Rutgers-Camden answered back in historic fashion. Junior shortstop Gianna Bauer drew a leadoff walk and two outs later Hutchinson ripped an RBI double to center field for her 100th career hit. She became the 16th player in program history to reach the century milestone.
 
Rutgers-Newark collected nine hits off Raptor sophomore Sammie Friel (1-14), who worked a complete game, allowing seven runs, six earned. She didn't walk a batter and struck out five. A trio of Scarlet Raiders collected two hits apiece, led by junior right fielder Keelin O'Brien, who went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Freshman shortstop Maddy Haack and sophomore left fielder Kalyna Figol also had two hits apiece.
 
Dubiago went 2-for-3 with one RBI for the Scarlet Raptors.
   
The Scarlet Raptors saved their best for their last game, scoring a season-high eight runs in the first inning and notching three in the bottom of the fifth to walk off the Scarlet Raiders on the eight-run mercy rule.
 
After Newark scored twice in the top of the first inning, Rutgers-Camden used five hits, an error, two hit batsmen and two walks to plate eight runs. It was the Raptors' biggest inning of the season, passing a seven-run second inning against Scranton on March 18, and the program's biggest inning since a record 13-run second inning against Alfred State on March 11, 2017.
 
Rutgers-Camden's frame was highlighted by a grand slam from sophomore third baseman Alana Gannon, marking the program's first grand slam since a pinch-hit slam by Karlie Kennedy in the fifth inning against Montclair State on April 10, 2021.
 
Dubiago had an RBI single in the third inning and sophomore designated hitter Devyn Jordan added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it a 10-3 game, but Newark scored two times in the top of the fifth inning in trying to extend the game. That forced Rutgers-Camden to need three runs to end the game by the eight-run mercy rule, and that's exactly what happened in the bottom of the fifth inning.
 
Sophomore right fielder Kali Baker started the winning rally with a one-out double. Dubiago singled her home and advanced to second base on an errant throw to the plate. One out later, sophomore second baseman Madi Carr doubled home Dubiago. After freshman Zoie Mantzell was inserted as a pinch-runner for Carr, freshman center fielder Ryleigh Lender ended the game with a walk-off RBI double to right-center field.
 
The final game gave freshman pitcher Izzy Carels her first collegiate win. Carels (1-6) scattered nine hits and two walks, while allowing five runs. Only three runs were earned. She struck out two.
 
Lender went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs in the second game, while Dubiago was 3-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs. Carr was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and Gannon's lone hit was a grand slam.
 
Dubiago, who entered the day with a .299 career batting average, went 5-for-6 in the doubleheader to finish her career at .309.