Kalka, Gillman Lead Rutgers Softball to Split Against Providence

Sunday, March 26

Piscataway, N.J.

Rutgers

5-19, 0

Providence

16-4, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Providence College	1	1	0	9	0	11	12	0
Rutgers University	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Providence College	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	5	0
Rutgers University	3	0	0	0	1	1	X	5	6	0

Kalka, Gillman Lead Rutgers Softball to Split Against Providence

Mar 26 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PISCATAWAY, NJ - Freshman Sarah Kalka’s (Moreno Valley, CA) two home runs and four RBI in game two helped guide the Rutgers softball team (6-19, 1-3 BIG EAST) to a split against conference foe Providence (16-5, 3-1 BIG EAST) on Sunday, March 26, at the RU Softball Complex.

The Scarlet Knights dropped game one by a score of 11-1, but bounced back in the second game of the doubleheader, defeating the Friars 5-1.

Rutgers trailed by just one score (2-1) entering the fourth, before a nine-run outburst by the Friars proved too much for the Scarlet Knights to overcome, as Providence secured the 11-1 victory. RU’s lone score came in the bottom of the third when freshman Amanda Heller (Belle Mead, NJ) reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on freshman Brittany Loisel’s (Gilbert, AZ) single through the left side. Junior Kristin Madoch (Glenview, IL) eventually plated Heller on single up the middle.

Junior Jessica Crosby (Sedro-Woolley, WA) earned her first start of the season, pitching 3.0 innings before being relieved by freshman Christina Yard (Hillsborough, NJ), who went 2.0 innings, while striking out four.

The Scarlet Knights jumped out to an early lead in game two, as Madoch got the rally going with a walk, followed by freshman Kaitlyn Valiante (Mt. Laurel, NJ), who singled to put runners in scoring position for RU. At bat with two outs, Kalka crushed a ball deep to left-centerfield, giving Rutgers a 3-0 advantage.

Providence chipped into the lead (3-1) in the fifth inning with a lead-off home run from Tara Sullivan, but solid Scarlet Knight defense and effective pitching by senior Christina Gillman (Valencia, CA) helped stymie the Friars’ attack. Gillman (3-7) cruised through seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits, while striking out eight.

Rutgers added a pair of insurance runs over the fifth and sixth innings, as Heller homered over the centerfield fence, the first of her career and Kalka notched her second round-tripper of the day with a shot to right-center, giving RU the 5-1 win.

RU will next be in action on the road against Princeton in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 29, at 2:00 pm, before returning to the RU Softball Complex for three consecutive doubleheaders against conference members Pittsburgh April 1 and Syracuse April 2 and non-conference opponent Army April 5.