Ewing, NJ… The College of New Jersey softball team (11-7, 2-1 NAJC) split an NJAC double header with Rutgers-Camden (11-11, 2-1 NJAC) Wednesday afternoon. The games were moved from Tuesday due to inclement weather. TCNJ took the first game 4-1 before falling in the nightcap 7-6.
TCNJ struck first in game one with an RBI single off the bat of freshman
Annalise Suitovsky (Warren Twp., NJ / Watchung Hills). The Scarlet Raptors fought back with a run of their own in the top of the fourth.
The Lions would rally in the bottom of the fifth.
Madison Levine (Oakland, NJ / Indian Hills) started off the inning with a single to the wall in left center.
Megan Mayernik (Columbus, NJ / Northern Burlington) followed with a single to right. Following a sac bunt, first baseman
Jess Santelli (Hillsborough, NJ / Hillsborough) knocked in both runners with a single of her own. Third baseman
Danielle Carey (Maple Shade, NJ / Maple Shade) kept the inning going with a single to right field. Senior
Colleen Phelan (Tinton Falls, NJ / Monmouth Regional) placed down a squeeze bunt, then beat out the play at first base for the Lions fifth hit of the inning, plating Santelli and producing the final score.
Junior
Sam Platt (Cedar Grove, NJ / Mount Saint Dominic Academy) allowed just two hits in the complete game victory.
The Scarlet Raptor offense came alive early in the nightcap, using four walks, a hit batter, two singles, and a wild pitch to plate four runs before the Lions came to the plate. The Lions did not go down without a fight, scoring three in the bottom of the first with Santelli providing the big punch with an RBI double to left center.
The Scarlet Raptors scored two in the top of the second, answered by a two run single from Carey in the bottom of the third. TCNJ would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth scoring pinch runner
Francesca Pugliese (Langhorne, PA / Villa Joseph Marie).
Rutgers-Camden led off the top of the sixth with a walk by Rachel Edwards, after a sac bunt moved Edwards into scoring position, Gabby Castellini hit a double to right center scoring what would end up being the deciding run.
The Lions had one final chance in the bottom of the seventh advancing a runner to third with just one out thanks to a
Helena Coppola (Lincroft, NJ / St. John Vianney) pinch hit double to lead off the inning. Rutgers-Camden right fielder Jalene Garcia gunned down the potential tying run at the plate however, after securing a fly ball to end the game.
TCNJ now travels to William Paterson on Saturday, April 8 at 1:00 PM for a conference double header.
