JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University finally played its 2017 home opener two weeks after it was originally slated but ran into a hot batter in game one and dropped an extra-innings heart-breaker in game two. Rutgers University-Camden received six RBIs from junior catcher Mackenzie Mason (Penns Grove, N.J./Penns Grove) in a 7-3 game one outcome, before pulling out game two in the international tiebreaker, 3-2, in eight innings, at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
In the New Jersey Athletic Conference openers for both schools, Rutgers-Camden evened its record at 10-10 (2-0 NJAC). NJCU, which dropped an eight-inning game by a 3-2 margin for the second time this season, fell to 7-5 (0-2 NJAC).
 
Mason, who came into the day batting just .179 on the season (5-28) with two RBIs, had a career day—a combined 6-for-8 with seven RBIs; she was 4-for-4 with six RBIs in game one, tallying three separate two-run singles.
 
NJCU freshman center fielder Alanis Concepcion (Nutley, N.J./Nutley) was 4-for-8 in the doubleheader while senior first baseman/right-handed pitcher Brittany Paulikas (Ford, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial) walked four times.
 
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Jessica Thompson (Pedricktown, N.J./Penns Grove) was the winner in both games, improving to 5-6.
 
GAME 1: Rutgers-Camden 7, New Jersey City 3
Mason's six-RBI, 4-for-4 performance punctuated a 7-3 win for the Scarlet Raptors. NJCU led 1-0 and tied it at 2-2 in the third. But Camden scored twice in the top of the fourth, and up 5-3, added two key insurance runs in the seventh.
 
Senior center fielder Megan Goodspeed (Florence, N.J./Florence) was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. Freshman designated player Valorie Velasco (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East) had two hits while junior left fielder Gabrielle Castellini (Millville, N.J./Wildwood Catholic) and junior third baseman Gabby Pfeiffer (Mount Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley) each scored twice; Pfeiffer also walked twice.
 
Concepcion and senior designated player Brianna Rosario (Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) were each 2-for-4 in the top two spots in the lineup. Sophomore third baseman Hannah Gavin (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a walk. Paulikas walked twice.
 
Thompson struck out seven (walked four), allowing three runs and eight hits over 133 pitches. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Christina Mezey (Jersey City, N.J./Saint Dominic Academy) took the loss for NJCU (4-3). She struck out five over 148 pitches but walked eight.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
NJCU put a run across with a bases loaded walk by Gavin in the first. After back-to-back walks in the second, Mason capitalized with a two-run single to left. Camden threatened more in the second. With one out, junior shortstop/second baseman Mariah Hans (Barrington, N.J./Haddon Heights) doubled to left; Mason tried to score all the way from first but was gunned out at the plate on a throw from junior left fielder Julie Squeo (Carlstadt, N.J./Becton Regional) and freshman shortstop Naomi Olacio (Bayonne, N.J./Hoboken) to freshman catcher/first baseman Kayla Clarke (East Rutherford, N.J./Becton Regional), who applied the tag at the plate, then alertly fired to Gavin at third to erase Hans trying to take an extra base as NJCU registered a double play.
 
In the third, Olacio had a one-out single off the pitcher's glove then scored all the way from first to tie the game when Gavin split the right-center gap with a double.
 
Mason came through again in the fourth when RUC had four hits, including three in a row. After Thompson and Castellini singled back-to-back, Mason had a two-out single up the middle for a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Squeo reached on an error, moved to second and scored on a bloop single to right center by Rosario—her first RBI of the season.
 
RUC got a run back in the fifth when Goodspeed walked and scored from third on a two-out error. Camden loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Olacio came out of nowhere to make a diving catch of a line drive behind third to save two runs and Mezey rang up a strikeout looking to strand the bags full.
 
But Mason did it again in the seventh. With two runners on and two outs after a single and walk, Mason deposited a 3-2 pitch into right field for her sixth RBIs and her third two-run single of the game and thwarted any chance of an NJCU comeback.
 
GAME 2: Rutgers-Camden 3, New Jersey City 2
In the eighth inning of a 2-2 contest, the international tiebreaker came into play and freshman Caitlyn Kliniewski (Deptford, N.J./Deptford) pinch ran at second, was sacrificed to third and scored on a wild pitch. Concepcion was stranded at second in the bottom of the eighth; freshman second baseman Caralynne Rivera (Brick, N.J./Kearny) scorched a line drive to left center but Castellini made a catch on the run, Camden pitched around Paulikas, and a force play ended the game.

 
Thompson struck out five, allowing two runs and four hits against four walks. Mezey started, and didn't allow an earned run in 3.0 innings, striking out two (one walk) against five hits. Paulikas entered and pitched five solid innings but suffered her first loss (3-1). She allowed one earned run and only three hits.
 
Mason was 2-for-4 with one RBI and senior right fielder Jalene Garcia (Vineland, N.J./Vineland) scored once, batting 2-for-3. Concepcion was 2-for-4 again with one RBI. Paulikas and Clarke each walked twice.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Rutgers-Camden had runners on corners in the first before NJCU got a rare 6-3-2 double play, getting a ground ball to short and when the runner broke for home, Paulikas threw to freshman catcher Arianna Scrimo (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) at the plate for the tag.
 
In the second Hans had a bloop double with one out. Garcia dropped down a perfect bunt single between the circle and first base and Hans scored on a throwing error at first. Camden stranded a runner at third but led, 1-0.
 
In the third, Squeo doubled with two outs on the first pitch she saw and Concepcion singled to right on the next pitch to drive her in and tie it, 1-1.
 
With one out in the fifth, NJCU committed back-to-back errors but it didn't factor in as Paulikas got out of trouble with a pop out and ground out, both to Rivera at second. In the bottom of the inning, NJCU had two runners on after a walk and hit batter. Freshman Keyonne Ingram (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Central) pinch ran and scored on a throwing error on a double play attempt for a 2-1 lead.
 
Camden tied it in the top of the sixth as Garcia singled and Mason had her seventh RBI of the game and sixth hit, doubling off the left field fence. With a runner on third, Olacio backhanded a ground ball at short to end the inning. NJCU had the go-ahead run on base in the bottom of the sixth before an athletic play by at short ended the inning and the game went to extras knotted at 2-2.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 65th meeting. Rutgers-Camden leads series, 43-22 (Won last 17).
• NJCU played its second extra innings game of the season. It fell to Alverno, 3-2, on March 8 in Naples, Fla.
• NJCU was playing its first extra-innings NJAC game since a 6-3 home loss to Ramapo in eight innings on April 24, 2014.
• Brittany Paulikas and Julie Squeo each had their 10-game hitting streaks to open the season snapped in game one.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU heads to Mahwah, N.J. to face Ramapo College (9-5, 1-1 NJAC) in an NJAC doubleheader on Tuesday, April 4 (3 p.m.). It's the first of four scheduled doubleheaders on the week. NJCU hosts York College (NY) in a makeup on April 6, visits Stockton University in an NJAC twinbill in Galloway, N.J. on April 8 and hosts Staten Island in a makeup doubleheader on April 9.