JERSEY CITY, N.J.--The Saint Peter's softball team (1-7) competed in a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon, hosting Rutgers at Jaroschak Field for the first time this season. The Peacocks ultimately fell to the Scarlet Knights by a combined score of 28–11 but turned in one of their strongest offensive performances of the season, combining for 19 hits and 11 RBIs across the doubleheader.
In game one,
Kiana Kadena Matsuda and
Carlee Charles paced the Peacocks offensively, both going 3-for-4. Kadena Matsuda added a stolen base and scored twice, while Charles recorded a double and drove in a team-high three RBIs. Saint Peter's posted season highs in its Jaroschak Field debut with eight runs, 13 hits, and eight RBIs.
Morgan Lipansky (1-2) was charged with the loss after pitching 1.1 innings and allowing eight runs on five hits.
Ava Mormile came in for relief, making her collegiate debut and tossing 3.2 innings while surrendering six runs on seven hits.
Brielle Coppola closed the game, allowing two runs on three hits.
Gabriella Rivera (0-1) got her first collegiate start in the circle for game two, going 3.2 innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits.
Cessi Prince and
Ava White both came in for relief, combining to allow five runs on three hits while recording a pair of strikeouts.
Angela Tremarco lef the offense, going 2-for-2 with an RBI, while
Danni Forrester went 1-for-2, launching her second home run of the season.
WHAT HAPPENED:
GAME ONE
Rutgers quickly loaded the bases with a hit-by-pitch, a walk, and a single. A single to first base drove in the game's first run, and a sacrifice fly made it 2-0. Before the end of the inning, a fly out to left field allowed Riley Hwang to steal home, putting the Scarlet Knights ahead 3-0.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Peacocks recorded back-to-back singles and stolen bases to move runners to second and third with one out, but a fielder's choice and strikeout ended the threat.
The Scarlet Knights added five runs in the second inning, highlighted by Hwang's grand slam and a solo home run from Kelsey Hoekstra to extend the lead to 8-0. In the third, Hwang drove in two more runs with a double, bringing her total to six RBIs on the day.
Saint Peter's got on the board in the bottom of the third after a fielder's choice and a Rutgers error put runners on first and second with two outs.
Carlee Charles sent a double down the right field line, bringing home
Hannah Klotz and
Kiana Kadena Matsuda.
Rutgers added two more runs in the fourth on back-to-back doubles and a single to center field. In the bottom half of the inning, the Peacocks cut into the deficit with a six-run frame.
Steph Bendzlowicz drew a walk and
Kayla Foy followed with a single to put runners on with no outs.
Paige Seemon drove in Bendzlowicz with a double, and
Olivia Christopher added an RBI single to left to score Foy.
A trio of singles from
Summer Solitaria, Kadena Matsuda, and Charles brought home Seemon and Christopher, while Bendzlowicz came to the plate again and singled to right field to score Solitaria. At the end of the fourth inning, Rutgers held a 12-8 lead.
Rutgers added two more runs in the fifth on a home run and scored once in both the sixth and seventh innings to secure the victory. The Peacocks went down in order in the final frame.
GAME TWO
The Peacocks held Rutgers scoreless through the first inning, but a one-out, bases-clearing double in the second opened the scoring, and a stolen base put Rutgers up 3-0.
The Peacocks drove in a run in both the second and third innings.
Angelina Wagner opened the second with a single up the middle before advancing to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, freshman
Angela Tremarco collected her first hit of the day with a single to second, driving Wagner home.
In the third, Kadena Matsuda singled and stole second base to open the inning. A wild pitch moved her to third, and a Scarlet Knight error brought her home, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Rutgers responded with four runs in the fourth inning off a double, a two-run home run, and a solo shot.
Danni Forrester answered in the bottom half with a home run of her own, bringing the score to 7-3.
Rutgers broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning. Two walks, two singles, and a wild pitch extended the lead before a bases-clearing double, a Peacock error, and a groundout pushed the score to 12-3.
The Peacocks went down in order in the final frame.
UP NEXT
The Peacocks have a quick turnaround, heading on the road to face the University of Maryland Eastern Shore for a midweek doubleheader at Hawk Stadium in Princess Anne, Maryland. Game one is scheduled for 1 p.m., with game two to follow at 3 p.m.
Tomorrow's contest will be streamed live on UMES YouTube's channel.
For continuing coverage of Saint Peter's University Athletics, visit SaintPetersPeacocks.com and follow the Peacocks on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
