Mitchell Falls to Rutgers-Camden in Doubleheader

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 16, 2009) - Rutgers-Camden exploded for 25 hits, while pitchers Natalie Powell (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) and Ashley Jimenez (Bellmawr, NJ/Triton Regional) allowed only seven hits and one earned run  in 13 innings as the Raptors swept Mitchell College of New London, Connecticut, 7-1 and 8-0. The second game ended in the sixth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Rutgers-Camden 7, Mitchell 1

Senior co-captain Powell hurled a three-hitter to raise her record to 3-1, allowing two walks and one earned run, while striking out one. It was the 30th complete game of her career and her 24th victory.

Practically all of the damage against Powell came in the bottom of the first, when the Mariners sandwiched two singles between two walks to open the frame. They scored their one run on an RBI single by freshman shortstop Stacey Suplicki (New London, CT/Saint Bernard).

Powell wriggled out of a bases-loaded no-out jam with a double play and a pop up, and then allowed only one more runner the rest of the way, on a two-out bunt single by sophomore center fielder Jen Bordonaro (Winsted, CT/The Gilbert School) in the second inning. Powell retired the last 16 batters in a row.

Offensively, the Raptors scored all the runs they needed with three in the first inning. Freshman right fielder Lauren Hatzelhoffer (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) singled home the first run and scored on a double by junior co-captain Steph Skroski (Stratford, NJ/Sterling). Skroski, who had two RBIs on the day to increase her season total to 16 in 10 games, scored the final run on a fielder's choice by freshman shortstop Beth Speakman (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek).

Hatzelhoffer singled home another run in the second inning and the Raptors added three more in the top of the seventh on three hits, a walk and an error. Junior designated player Stephanie Lento (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) had an RBI single in the frame.

Hatzelhoffer went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs, while junior first baseman Amanda D'Anduono (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey Township) was 3-for-4 with one run. Senior second baseman Brittany Sports (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddon Heights) added two hits for the Raptors.

Rutgers-Camden 8, Mitchell 0 (6 inn.)

Freshman catcher Shelley Swartz (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) made her first collegiate hit count, ending the game in the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple to drive home the eighth run.

Rutgers-Camden scored four times in the first inning, sparked by a double steal which saw junior left fielder Stephanie Klotz (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) swipe home as sophomore second baseman Brooke Keenan (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) stole second. Skroski had an RBI single, Speakman drilled a run-scoring double and senior designated player Christina Petrutz (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) added an RBI single in the frame.

Petrutz singled home another run in the third and the Raptors' two-run fourth featured an RBI single by sophomore third baseman Krista White (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) and a sacrifice fly by Speakman.

Swartz ended the game by plating White with her sixth-inning triple.

For the game, Klotz, Keenan and Petrutz each had two hits, while Speakman collected two RBIs. Keenan and Klotz scored two runs apiece.

Jimenez raised her record to 4-1 with a four-hit shutout. She didn't walk a batter and struck out seven. Two of the hits she allowed were singles by Mariners senior third baseman Lindsey Donelin (Niantic, CT/Stonington).