Box Score (Game 1)
Box Score (Game 2)
Camden, NJ... Freshman pitcher Alex Sietsma (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) earned a save in the opening game and collected a two-hit shutout in the nightcap to power The College of New Jersey softball team to a sweep over Rutgers University-Camden, 16-5 and 4-0, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Rutgers-Camden Community Park.
The Lions improve to 18-10 overall and 6-2 in the NJAC, running their winning streak to seven games. The sweep over Rutgers-Camden gave TCNJ sweeps of three NJAC doubleheaders in three days.
Rutgers-Camden, which has lost seven straight games, falls to 3-18 overall and 1-7 in the NJAC.
Game One: TCNJ 16, Rutgers-Camden 5
In a game tighter than the final score, Sietsma entered the contest with the tying run on deck and the Lions holding an 8-4 lead in the sixth inning. After she wriggled out of the jam with only a RBI ground out, TCNJ exploded for eight runs on five hits, two walks and two errors in the top of the seventh to put the game out of reach. The big hit in the inning was a two-run triple by junior catcher Kelly Armstrong (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial), who went 2-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs in the game.
Sophomore shortstop Ellen Seavers (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) and senior first baseman Christina Lizzi (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) scored three runs apiece for the Lions, while freshman left fielder Jamie Mastrioanni (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) added two hits. Freshman right fielder Colleen Cawley (Riverton, NJ/Holy Cross) scored two runs and collected two RBIs for TCNJ.
Freshman Jamie Moir (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) picked up the victory with four innings of six-hit ball in relief. Moir, 3-3, allowed three runs (two earned) and one walk, while striking out four. Sietsma retired all five batters she faced to nail down her first save.
Game Two: TCNJ 4, Rutgers-Camden 0
Sietsma was just getting warmed up in the opener, as she first a two-hit shutout with one strikeout in the nightcap. Both of the hits she allowed were infield singles, a bunt single by sophomore third baseman Stephanie Klotz (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) to lead off the game and a single to the shortstop hole by junior designated player Cristina Petrutz (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) to open the sixth inning. Sietsma improved her record to 6-2.
TCNJ scored all the runs it needed with a two-run second inning, sparked by a leadoff home run from Lizzi. One out later, Sietsma singled and scored on a triple by junior designated player Camille Heller (Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade).
The Lions added two more runs in the fifth inning, sparked by a leadoff double from Seavers.
Lady Raptor sophomore Steph Skroski (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, hurling a five-hitter, as her record fell to 0-8. She walked six, struck out four and allowed four earned runs.
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader at Arcadia University, beginning at 3:30 p.m. TCNJ hosts Montclair State University Saturday in a NJAC doubleheader at noon.
