CAMDEN, N.J. – The William Paterson softball team (14-5-1, 1-4-1 NJAC) dropped game one, in eight innings, to Rutgers-Camden (6-16, 3-3 NJAC), 4-3, before besting the Scarlet Raptors, 7-3, in game two on April 7.
 
GAME ONE
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Pioneers posted two hitless innings before Rutgers-Camden secured a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with a walk, sac bunt, fielder's choice and throwing error. 
• WP took the lead with a three-run fifth inning. Sophomore Lauren Hutchison (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) opened with a bunt to the pitcher and graduate student Jillian Bigos (Red Bank, N.J./Middletown South) followed up with a sacrifice bunt to advance Hutchison to second. Two batters later, graduate student Carly McDaniel (Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton) doubled down the right field line to tie the score 1-1.
• Sophomore Kylie Bythrow (Deptford, N.J./Deptford) collected two RBI with a single to right field, scoring graduate students McDaniel and Jasmine Vera (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) for a 3-1 lead. The Scarlet Raptors cut the deficit to one in the bottom half with two doubles.
• Rutgers-Camden came up with the tying run in the sixth with a walk, wild pitch, sacrifice bunt and single.
• The Scarlet Raptors had bases loaded with one out in the seventh. Junior Gianna Mulato (Pompton Plains, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) collected the second out with a strikeout swinging. McDaniel closed out the inning with a putout at third, extending the game an extra inning.
• Rutgers-Camden secured the 4-3 win in the eighth with a throwing error.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Bythrow finished with a team-high two RBI.
• McDaniel hit 2-for-4, collecting an RBI, run scored and a double. She also posted her 15th stolen base of the season to place her ninth on the WP single-season stolen-bases records list.
• Vera went 2-for-2 with a run scored and Hutchison hit 2-for-4 with a run scored.
• Junior Jaelynn Miller (Oxford, N.J./Warren Hills) pitched 6.1 innings, recording five strikeouts.

 
GAME TWO
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Scarlet Raptors seized a 1-0 lead in the first with a double, a passed ball and sacrifice fly.
• WP started a two-out rally in the second inning to take a 4-1 advantage. Senior Gabriella Brancaccio (Kendall Park, N.J./South Brunswick) started the Pioneers with a walk. Junior Haley Weinberger (Williamstown, N.J./Hammonton) took first base with a single to third. Graduate student Anna Nunziato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) reached first on a fielding error, loading the bases. Bigos posted three RBI with a double to center field to take a 3-1 lead. Vera followed up with a single through the right side, scoring Bigos, for a 4-1 lead.
• The Pioneers recorded five hitless innings, from the second to the sixth, to stay ahead.
• WP increased their lead to six in the top of the seventh inning. McDaniel opened up with a single to second, followed by a walk for Bythrow. Senior Kilee Oertel (Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg) reached first on a fielding error at third to load the bases. Two batters later, Weinberger singled to right field scoring Hutchison and Oertel. Weinberger advanced to third on the same play with a throwing error by right field, Brancaccio scored on the error.
• Rutgers-Camden shortened the deficit by two to make it a 7-3 game in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, the Scarlet Raptors loaded the bases but the Pioneers closed out to secure the victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Bigos finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run scored and a double. Vera added an RBI.
• McDaniel and Weinberger both hit 2-for-3. Weinberger posted an RBI and run scored.
• Brancaccio recorded two runs scored and Nunziato, Hutchison and Oertel secured a run scored each.
• Guthy (6-1) earned the win, pitching a 6.2 innings and allowing three hits.

UP NEXT:

• William Paterson returns home for a NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 11 against New Jersey City at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

 
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