Camden, NJ (4/9/06) – Rutgers University-Camden senior Michelle Schlichtig fired a two-hitter in winning the opening game and hurled three shutout innings in relief to collect a save for junior Megan Farrell in the nightcap as the Lady Raptors swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader from Montclair State University, 10-2 and 4-2, here Sunday.
Rutgers-Camden, ranked No. 11 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, improves to 20-4 overall and 6-0 in the NJAC with its 10th straight win. Montclair State falls to 13-4 and 0-4.
Schlichtig threw three perfect innings in the nightcap, striking out five, as she recorded her second save of the season. It was the fourth save of her Rutgers-Camden career, tying the program career mark set by Sarah O'Malley (2001-2003).
In the opening game, Schlichtig (10-2) fanned nine and didn't walk a batter in her two-hitter. She allowed two earned runs.
Rutgers-Camden struck for three runs in the top of the third inning of the nightcap, sparked by the speed of sophomore second baseman Jayme Feriod. Following a leadoff single by sophomore designated player Amber Parker, Feriod reached on a fielder's choice, which retired Parker at second. Feriod stole second and junior third baseman Alaina Giles drew a walk. Freshman center fielder Marissa Van Cleef followed by slapping a grounder toward third base, but Feriod beat a force play at the bag, loading the bases. Feriod then scored on a shallow sacrifice fly by junior right fielder Autumn Millett, and Schlichtig singled home two more runs.
Montclair State got a run back in the bottom of the third following a leadoff single by sophomore center fielder
MAUREEN SHOCKLEY and a sacrifice by senior first baseman
ATHANASIA TOTARO. Shockley scored on a single by freshman shortstop
JENNIFER JIMENEZ.
The Red Hawks cut the gap to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Junior designated player
DANA WARNOCK hit a one-out double and advanced on a two-out infield single by freshman left fielder
KELLY KARP. Shockley followed by dropping a single into shallow center field, plating the run.
The Raptors tacked on their final run in the top of the sixth after Millett hit a leadoff double for the 100th hit of her Rutgers-Camden career. She scored all the way from second when Schlichtig sacrificed and reached on a fielding error on the play.
Farrell (4-1) collected the win by hurling four innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs and one walk. She struck out three. The losing pitcher was sophomore
CAROLYN MCCREA, 5-3,who hurled a seven-hitter with one walk, six strikeouts and four earned runs.
Millett went 2-for-3 in the nightcap to finish the day with four hits, lifting her career total to 101.
In the first game, the Lady Raptors scored six runs in the first two innings, all but one of them unearned off tough-luck pitcher Totaro. Totaro's teammates made five errors in the opening two innings, including three in the Raptors' five-run second.
In the first inning, Millettdoubled to right field and reached third on an error. She scored on a ground out by Schlichtig.
In the second game, the Raptors loaded the bases on a walk to junior catcher Mo Baney, an error and a bunt single by Feriod. Giles singled home one run. With two outs, Schlichtig hit a ground ball that rolled through the shortstop's legs and all the way to the left-center field fence for a bases-clearing error. Schlichtig scored on a single by sophomore first baseman Kathleen Dreitlein.
The Red Hawks scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth after Totaro opened the frame with a single to left field, breaking up Schlichtig's bid for a perfect game. One out later, Jimenez launched her 11th home run of the season, one shy of the MSU single-season record, over the right-center field fence.
Rutgers-Camden got those runs back in the bottom of the fifth when Baney led off with a single and scored on a home run to left field by Parker. It was her second home run of the season.
The Raptors ended the game on the eight-run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning, following back-to-back doubles by Schlichtig and Dreitlein to open the frame. Schlichtig scored on a single by Baney and Dreitlein scored the final run on a ground out by Feriod.
For the Raptors, Millett, Schlichtig, Dreitlein, Baney and Feriod each had two of the 13 hits off Totaro, who allowed 10 runs (five earned) and three walks. Totaro (7-2) struck out two.
The Red Hawks play a 3 p.m. makeup doubleheader against conference rival Ramapo College Monday at home.
