CAMDEN, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University softball team led 2-0 in the game one before Rutgers University-Camden scored five runs in the fifth and the Scarlet Raptors clinched the No. 5 seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament with a sweep of the NJAC doubleheader with the Gothic Knights, 7-3 and 14-0 in five innings on April 30 at Rutgers-Camden Community Park.
 
RU-Camden improved to 20-18 and 9-9 in the NJAC. NJCU's season ends at 11-29 (0-18 NJAC, lost 24). The Raptors outhit NJCU 10-6 in game one and 14-3 in the nightcap.
 
Game 1: Rutgers University-Camden 7, New Jersey City University 3
NJCU's two starting pitchers this season, freshman right-hander Christina Mezey (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) and senior righty Jayla Lee Vega (Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) each had RBI singles in the fourth inning to stake NJCU to a 2-0 lead before the Raptors scored five runs in the fifth and added two in the sixth to prevail by four runs.
 
RUC shortstop Katie Larson had the biggest hit—a three-run homer to left in the fifth—that snapped a 2-2 deadlock.
 
Larson had three RBIs (1-for-3, one run) while pitcher Brittany Scott and right fielder Jalene Garcia were each 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Designated player Dannie Dinsfriend and second baseman Taylor Nichols contributed two hits apiece.
 
Scott earned the win (14-13), striking out eight against two walks in 7.0 innings, allowing three runs and six hits.
 
Vega was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI for NJCU while Mezey and senior center fielder Thalia Garcia (Ridgefield, N.J./North Bergen) each added RBIs. Mezey suffered the loss for NJCU (5-15).
 
After NJCU scored twice on three hits in the fourth, Garcia doubled down the left field line to knock in the first Raptor run and Scott singled before Larson produced the go-ahead three-run homer. Garcia added an RBI single in the sixth before Scott chalked up a sacrifice fly as RUC had four hits in the frame. NJCU got a run back in the seventh when Vega led off with a single and scored on a bases-loaded groundout by Garcia. NJCU couldn't plate another run.
 
Game 2: Rutgers University-Camden 14, New Jersey City University 0 (5 innings)
In game two, RU-Camden scored 12 runs on 10 hits when 16 women came to the plate in the second inning as the Raptors nearly batted around twice. There were four hits that produced two runs apiece in the inning and RUC hit back-to-back home runs.
 
Scott (15-13) allowed one hit in three innings on the mound (one strikeout) before Abby Merryman struck out three in the final two innings against two hits as the two Raptor pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout.
 
Third baseman Charlee Greco was 2-for-2 with four RBIs and a home run while Jalene Garcia scored four times, batting 4-for-4 with one RBI. Larson doubled twice, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Scott drove in three runs, batting 3-for-4.
 
Also for the hosts, center fielder Lindsay Day homered and had two RBIs and second baseman Taylor Nichols scored twice. Vega suffered the loss for NJCU (6-13).
 
Leading 1-0 after the first inning, a two-run bases-loaded hit by Scott made it 3-0 and Larson doubled in two more runs for a 5-0 margin. Greco followed with a two-run homer to left and Day hit a solo shot for an 8-0 lead. A two-run single by Greco, her second hit of the inning, made it 13-0.
 
#KnightNotes:

• All-Time Series with Rutgers-Camden: The Scarlet Raptors lead the all-time series, 41-22.