May 22, 2006

RUTGERS-CAMDEN CAPTURES THE 2006 NCAA DIVISION III
SOFTBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

BECOMES THE 42ND TEAM IN NJAC HISTORY TO CAPTURE A NATIONAL CROWN

The Rutgers-Camden softball team became the 42nd team in the history of the New Jersey Athletic Conference to capture an NCAA Division III National Championship when the Scarlet Raptors topped two-time defending national champion St. Thomas, 3-2, on March 22 in Raleigh, NC. With the victory, Camden became just the second NJAC team ever to capture a national title in softball, and the first since TCNJ in 1996.

The national title earned by Rutgers-Camden in softball marks the first time that an NJAC team has captured a national championship since the Rowan field hockey team earned the national crown on November 23, 2002  - a period of four years, five months and 30 days. TCNJ is the only other NJAC institution to ever capture the national championship in softball. The Lions earned a total of six NCAA titles in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1996. 

Rutgers-Camden defeated the two-time defending national champions in St. Thomas. The Scarlet Raptors silently cruised through the 2006 NCAA Softball Championship tournament undefeated including two wins over St. Thomas, the first on March 22 which snapped the Tommies' 29-game postseason winning streak.

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” Camden head coach Carl Taylor said after the win. “We didn’t hit well today, but we got some breaks that went our way. These players did what couldn’t be done.”

The championship is the first for Rutgers-Camden in the history of the institution. The lone senior on the squad, Michelle Schlichtig, commented on what the national title meant.

“The crowd today showed how much this means for our school," Schlichtig said. "We had great fans, our athletic director, provost, faculty, and staff. We had the loudest crowd out of any team and it was great to bring a championship back to Camden.”

Schlichtig was stellar on the mound as she had been all tournament long. She pitched every inning for her team including a seven-inning, two-run victory, in which she only surrendered four hits. The senior pitcher was honored by being named to the All-Tournament Team following the championship game for her performance throughout the week.

“Every senior wants to end their career with a win," Schlichtig said. "When I was on the mound, I stayed focused and the thought of losing never crossed my mind. I just stuck with the game plan that coach had for the game and it worked out.”

“Michelle had great stuff today,” stated Taylor after the game. “I told every one of our players that this pitcher has her stuff and she was going to get it done. She definitely saved her best for last.”

The excitement of the championship game began in the bottom of the first when Nikki Conway got a hold of a Schlichtig pitch and put it over the left field wall to give the Tommies a 1-0 advantage early in the game.

Both teams put a run on the board in the fourth inning, before the Tommies took a 2-1 lead following an RBI single by Janet Nagle. 

The Scarlet Raptors would tie the game in the top of the sixth inning when Megan Farrell singled down the left field line to drive in Kathleen Dreitlein from second base.

Camden would add another run in the top half of the seventh inning when a mishandled ball by the shortstop ended up in right field to score Jayme Feriod from second base. The run put the Scarlet Raptors up by one run and would prove to be the game winner which clinched the national championship.

St. Thomas head coach John Tschida was complimentary in defeat. “They (Rutgers-Camden) have a great team, a great pitcher, great defense, and they play hard and always play to win."

An emotional Taylor shared some thoughts on the future of the Camden program following the victory.

“We have a great team coming back and we only have to replace one senior - although it’s Michelle (Schlichtig)," Taylor said. "She did a great job of leading the younger players. We want to be back, but it will not be as easy as this year without Michelle.”

-- by Heather Sulkowski