Center Valley, PA (March 25, 2012) – Senior Brianna Chilcoat went 6-for-8 with five runs scored and four RBIs leading the DeSales University softball team to a split with Rutgers-Newark, winning game one, 12-7, before dropping the second game, 4-3, in non-conference action on Sunday afternoon.

In the first game, DSU (5-11 overall), recorded 14 hits as all nine starters recorded at least one hit.  After the Scarlet Raiders (8-7) led 2-0 after the top of the first inning, DSU put five runs on the board including a three-run home run from junior Julie Brugger.

Rutgers-Newark cut it to 5-4 in the top of the second before Brugger doubled home Chilcoat in the second inning to make it 6-4.  Newark pulled within one once again in the top of the third but the Bulldogs put the game away in the bottom of the inning with four runs capped off by a two-run single from Chilcoat.

Senior Katie Morrissey earned her first win of the season, pitching two innings of relief of senior starter Christine Petrilla.  Freshman Ericka Esposito earned her first career save, pitching the last three innings allowing just one run and striking out two.

Freshman Taylor Kelly went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs, Chilcoat finished 4-for-4 with three runs scored, and three RBIs, and Brugger finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs.  Freshman Shelby Wilson also had two hits and freshman Carly Bartholomew had a two-RBI double in the game one win.

In the second game, DeSales led the entire way until the top of the seventh inning when Newark got a two-run single with two outs in the top of the seventh inning and stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the inning to earn the comeback win.

Freshman Rachel Vogel suffered the loss, despite pitching well, allowing four runs over seven innings, striking out three.  T. Kelly had three hits and scored once, Chilcoat had two hits, including a two-run home run, and scored twice, and S. Wilson had an RBI in the loss.

The Bulldogs return to action on Thursday afternoon when they travel to Kean University for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:00 pm.