CAMDEN, N.J. (April 9, 2025) – It took an extra day for the Rutgers University-Camden and The College of New Jersey softball teams to play their scheduled New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader due to field conditions on Tuesday. When they played here Wednesday, the Lions outscored the Scarlet Raptors, 13-2, as they swept the twinbill, 9-1 in five innings and 4-1.
 
TCNJ improved to 14-12 overall and 6-2 in the NJAC, while Rutgers-Camden fell to 4-19 and 2-6.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader in Camden against DeSales University. The first game begins at 4 p.m.
   
The Lions scored a pair of runs in the first inning and never trailed, adding three runs in both the third and fourth innings before scoring a single run in the fifth to end the game early with the eight-run rule. They struck quickly in the first inning as graduate student center fielder Kaci Neveling opened the game with a double and scored when the next batter, junior left fielder Olivia Santos, tripled. Santos scored on a ground out.
 
Rutgers-Camden cut the gap to 2-1 in the bottom of the second inning. Senior catcher Kendall Lafferty singled, stole second and scored on a two-out double by freshman center fielder Ryleigh Lender.
 
The Lions' three-run third inning featured a walk and four hits, including a two-run single by graduate student shortstop Julia Kinnally. They added three unearned runs in the fourth inning off freshman pitcher Izzy Carels (0-4). Carels worked 3.2 innings, allowing 10 hits, one walk and eight runs, five earned. She struck out one.
 
Rutgers-Camden, meanwhile, managed only three hits off sophomore pitcher Maya Knasiak, who raised her record to 10-3, walking two and striking out six. The Raptors had doubles from Lender and junior shortstop Gianna Bauer and a single from Lafferty.
   
The two teams were locked in a 1-1 tie heading into the sixth inning, when TCNJ collected three runs on three hits and an error. Senior third baseman Mckayla Yard singled home the tie-breaking run and eventually scored when freshman catcher Grace Brouillard reached base on an error following a sacrifice.
 
The Lions broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when they loaded the bases with nobody out against Raptor sophomore Sammie Friel. A double by junior right fielder Madison Estelow started the frame and was followed by an intentional walk to Kinnally and a walk to sophomore designated player Sara Vincent. Yard reached on a fielder's choice following her squeeze bunt, but Friel retired the next three hitters to strand the bases full, notching two strikeouts and a pop out.
 
Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back singles by Lender and sophomore right fielder Kali Baker, a sacrifice by senior left fielder Emily Dubiago and an infield error, with Bauer collecting an RBI.
 
Friel (1-9) finished with a five-hitter, allowing five walks and four runs, three earned. She struck out 11.
 
TCNJ junior Elizabeth Gosse (4-8) also hurled a five-hitter, allowing one unearned run, while fanning one.
 
Rutgers-Camden collected only eight hits on the day, with Lender and Baker both going 2-for-5 and sophomore second baseman Madi Carr going 2-for-6. Lender scored one run and had one RBI.