CAMDEN, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (27-7, 9-5 NJAC) split a pair of eight-inning games at Rutgers-Camden (16-16, 6-8 NJAC) April 23, losing 2-1 in the opener before winning the night cap, 3-1.
 
Game One
All of the scoring came during the eighth inning as the Scarlet Raptors came away with a 2-1 victory.
 
Junior pitcher Allison Podmajersky (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) started the eighth on second base, and advanced to third on a passed ball. Senior left fielder Kelsey Wimmershoff (Park Ridge, N.J./Park Ridge) walked and junior shortstop Rachel Wasilak (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) followed with an RBI-single.
 
Junior right fielder Jalene Garcia was the runner placed on second to start the home half of the eighth, and senior pitcher Brittany Scott promptly followed with a walk-off home run to left.
 
Wasilak was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Podmajersky (17-3) allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks, striking out six.
 
Scott was 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI at the plate, and gave up five hits, one unearned run and two walks with four strikeouts inside the circle (12-11).
 
Game Two
Two runs during the top of the eighth inning were the difference in a 3-1 decision.
 
Rutgers-Camden struck first with a single, error and Katie Larson run-scoring single to right center in the fifth.
 
Wimmershoff leveled the score with her solo home run to left field with two outs in the top of the seventh inning.
 
Wasilak started the eighth on second base and moved to third on an error when sophomore center fielder Eleni Lutas (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock) put down a sacrifice bunt. After a flyout and strikeout, Wasilak touched home on a wild pitch, and two batters later junior designated hitter Salina Pellios (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) singled in Lutas.
 
With two on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, the game ended on a throw to the plate by Lutas following an Abby Merryman single.
 
Five different Pioneers had hits, and junior Gabrielle Castelli (Cedar Grove, N.J./Cedar Grove) earned the victory while scattering seven hits over 8.0 innings, walking three and striking out five (10-4).
 
Merryman threw the first 4.0 scoreless innings for the Scarlet Raiders, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out two. Scott (12-12) tossed the last 4.0 innings and allowed three runs (one earned), two hits and a pair of walks with two strikeouts.

William Paterson will host No. 15 Rowan Tuesday, April 26, for a pair of games starting at 3:00 p.m.
 
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