NEWARK, NJ – Junior transfer
Amber Affholter and freshman shortstop
Tina Aita combined for four hits, three runs and six RBIs but Rutgers-Newark fell to New Jersey City 12-3 and 5-4 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader at Alumni Field.
NCAA Box Score and Play-By-Play
NJCU 12, Rutgers-Newark 3 (5 Innings)
NJCU 5, Rutgers-Newark 4
Sophomore
Shannon Davis finished one-for-two with an RBI in game one of the twinbill, while sophomore centerfielder
Jessica Zelaya and junior
Sam Weer went a combined three-for-six in the nightcap.
Game One
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Davis knotted the game with a one-out double to right center plating sophomore second baseman
Emily Ibarra.
But the Gothic Knights would respond with a four run outburst in the top of the fourth capped off of by a single to center by junior centerfielder
Tara Perrucci, to make it 5-1.
New Jersey City would increase their lead their lead in the top of the third, scoring six runs on one hit and a pair of Scarlet Raider errors.
Down 11-1 in the bottom of the fourth Affholter belted her first career roundtripper as a Scarlet Raider, with a two run shot to right, driving home Weer to cut the Rutgers-Newark deficit to seven, but NJCU would tack on a run in the top half of the fifth on a
Christina Prospero single to give the Gothic Knights the 12-3 decision.
Senior
Lacey Skowronski picked up her seventh win of the season allowing four hits and three runs in five innings of work, while sophomore
Danielle Delfino led New Jersey City offensively with a three-for-three showing, scoring two runs and adding an RBI. Prospero finished three-for-four with two RBIs and a run scored.
Game Two
After one and a half scoreless innings the Gothic Knights took control with a four run second inning capped off by a
Stephanie Gomez bunt single that scored freshman
Nicole Sarica.
Undeterred the gritty Scarlet Raiders would respond with a four run inning of their own, knotting the game at four.
Zelaya would get the Raiders’ rally started with a lead-off single to right center in the top half of the fourth. After Ibarra reached on a fielder’s choice, Davis flied out to left. Affholter then plated the Scarlet Raiders first run of the twinbill, lacing a single to left field, scoring Zelaya.
With one out and two on, Aita would connect on her second home run of the year tying the game at four.
But New Jersey City would regain the advantage with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth inning on an
Alexandra DiIorio grounder to third base that scored sophomore
Jordan Potter, en route to a 5-4 victory.
Junior hurler
Stacy Cappiello allowed just two earned runs in the loss, while senior counterpart
Andrea Delucrezia scattered five hits over second innings to capture her sixth win of the season.
Delfino finished two-for-four in the win, with Sarica and Gomez each going two-for three with an RBI.
Rutgers-Newark is back in action on Tuesday, April 14 in an NJAC doubleheader with league rival Ramapo before playing host to St. Joseph’s (LI) on Thursday, April 16.