Box Score (Game #1) 
Box Score (Game #2)

WAYNE , N.J. – In a pair of hard-fought contests, the William Paterson softball team (20-10, 7-5 NJAC) split a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting Rutgers-Camden (23-13, 9-5 NJAC) April 21. The Pioneers won the first game, 4-2, while the Scarlet Raptors were victories in the second contest, 5-2. 

In the opener, the Scarlet Raptors took a 2-0 lead after 2.5 innings. Valeri Bohn's bases-loaded single up the middle plated Amber Parker to score the first run for Rutgers-Camden in the second, and a two-out error by the Pioneers in the top of the third allowed Steph Skroski to cross the plate.

The Pioneers fought back, scoring three runs in the home half of the fourth. A walk, followed by three straight fielder's choices and an error, gave WPU runners on first and second with two outs. Freshman Jessica Reibis (Jackson, N.J./Jackson) then hit a rocket that Camden second baseman Kim Zlupko was able to dive and knock down, but she was unable to shuffle the ball to the bag in time to get Kaitlyn Lang (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock-North), allowing pinch runner Kathleen Wehmann (Harrington Park, N.J./Old Tappan) to score. April Sardinas-Wyssling (Plainsboro, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro South) then reached on an error by the third baseman, loading the bases for pinch hitter Ana Abourashed (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) , who promptly laced the first pitch she saw through the hole on the left side of the infield, driving in two runs to give the Pioneers a 3-2 lead.

Meghan Reilly's (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) double to straightaway center, followed by an Alicia Albert (Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional) single up the middle, gave William Paterson a 4-2 advantage in the fifth.

Diana Schraer (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) improved to 14-2, allowing eight hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out three. Megan Farrell fell to 8-5, giving up six hits and four runs (one earned) while registering three strikeouts. Reibis led the Pioneers at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored. Zlupko was 3-for-4 for the Scarlet Raptors.

Neither team got on the scoreboard during the second game until the bottom of the fourth, when back-to-back Pioneer errors gave the Scarlet Raptors two unearned runs. Mo Baney drove in both scores with a double to straightaway center.

William Paterson got one run back in the top of the fifth. After Chelsea Winkelspecht (Sicklerville, N.J./Washington Twp.) reached on an error and Brandi Kavaliauskas (Sicklerville, N.J./Highland Regional) singled, the Scarlet Raptors elected to intentionally walk Reilly in order to load the bases with one out. Rutgers-Camden got what it was hoping for during the next at-bat when a grounder to the pitcher resulted in a force out at the plate, but Abourashed was then hit by a pitch, scoring Kavaliauskas and making it a 2-1 score.

Rutgers-Camden put away the victory with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Two singles, a fielder's choice and a walk loaded the bases for Marissa Van Cleef, who came through with her first hit of the day, a single to right field. The Pioneer right fielder misplayed the hop, allowing the ball to get past her and clear the bases to give the Scarlet Raptors a 5-1 lead. William Paterson finished the scoring in the top of the seventh when Abourashed's double drove in Albert.

Schraer took the loss (14-3), surrendering seven hits, five runs (one earned), one walk and a strikeout. Natalie Powell earned the victory (9-3), scattering four hits in 4.1 innings, allowing one unearned run and two walks while ringing up three strikeouts. Farrell threw the final 2.2 innings, giving up four hits and one earned run to pick up her first save of the year. Baney went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and two runs driven in to lead Rutgers-Camden, while Abourashed was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI for the Pioneers.

The doubleheader was important for both teams, as WPU began the day fifth, and Rutgers-Camden tied for second, in the NJAC standings. The top six teams will qualify for the NJAC Tournament May 1, 4-6.