BOTETOURT, Va.  - After suffering a pair of loses on the first day of competition at the Hokies United Memorial Tournament, the Rutgers softball team (2-2) regrouped and rebounded to defeat Saint Joseph's (1-2) 1-0 and Robert Morris (1-3) 11-3 on the final day of the tournament.

There were several exciting offensive and defensive highlights on the afternoon for Rutgers, including an acrobatic catch in the outfield that helped the Scarlet Knights clinch the two-game sweep.

In game one, the Hawks threatened to open the scoring in the top of the third, but a terrific defensive effort by the Scarlet Knights helped keep Saint Joseph's off the scoreboard.

SJU's Susan Lebow singled to start the inning and advanced on a sac bunt from Laura Cardone. Kelsey Moir followed with a single through the right side and as Lebow rounded third, she was caught in a run-down and eventually tagged out to take another runner off the bases.

Moir proceeded to steal third base, but overshot the bag and was tagged by junior Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, Calif.) to end the inning and any scoring chance for the Hawks.

Extra innings were eventually needed to decide the contest as it remained scoreless through the first seven with both pitchers giving up just three hits to either side. With the international tie-breaker rule in effect, a runner was placed on second for Saint Joseph's to start the eighth inning, threatening to end the scoring drought for both squads.

The Hawks followed with a single and a walk to load the bases in the eighth, but freshman pitcher Katye Hamlin (College Station, Texas) showed excellent poise in the circle as she pitched her way out of the jam. With all bases occupied, Hamlin struck out the next batter and forced the next two into a pop-out and ground-out to end the inning.

The Scarlet Knights took over in the bottom half of the inning and capitalized on their opportunity. Junior Amanda Heller (Belle Mead, N.J.) singled to move the runner from second to third.

Junior Amanda Shaw (Loma Linda, Calif.) then drove in the game-winning run on a ground ball to second base as freshman Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.), who started the inning on second base, was able to slide under the tag at home plate, giving Rutgers the 1-0 victory.

Hamlin picked up the win in game one, evening her record at 1-1. The rookie gave up zero runs and allowed just four hits, while striking out seven in the eight-inning complete game.

RU carried the momentum established in game one into its match-up with Robert Morris, as the team collected 11 runs on 15 hits, including a six-run fourth inning.

Junior Kim Hodges (Houston, Texas) singled to start the second and eventually came around to score on a Heller RBI-single up the middle as the Scarlet Knights took a 1-0 lead.

The Colonials responded with a run in the bottom of the second on a home run to left field but RU broadened the gap with three runs in the next inning.

Hodges and fellow junior Kate Valiante (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) drove in one run apiece in the third, while Craig reached base safely on an error by the shortstop to extend the inning. The error allowed Hodges to score and gave the Scarlet Knights a 4-1 lead.

Rutgers followed the offensive output of the third inning with six runs on seven hits in the fourth. Junior Brittany Loisel (Gilbert, Ariz.) tripled in her at-bat and later scored on a Mallory Miller (Anaheim, Calif.) single through the left side. Kalka followed with the team's second triple of the game, plating Miller. Hodges then hit an RBI-single down the right field line that drove in Kalka and put the Scarlet Knights up 7-1.

Valiante followed with a single, giving RU a pair of runners on the bases. Heller, who drove in a run earlier in the game, recorded her second and third RBIs of the afternoon with a bases-clearing triple to right field that scored Valiante and Hodges. Senior Shantai Dixon (Sayreville, N.J.) got in on the action as she scored Heller from third with a single up the middle.

Robert Morris tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 10-3, but it was the closest the Colonials would get as Rutgers added another score in the seventh and closed out the game in the fifth on a spectacular catch in left field.

With an eight-run lead, the Scarlet Knights had an opportunity to end the game in the fifth. RU just needed to finish the inning without giving up a run.

However, Rutgers nearly lost its chance to run-rule the Colonials if it wasn't for a great play in left. With two runners on and two outs, RMU's Brook Panepinto attempted to cut into the Scarlet Knights' lead as she sent a ball deep into left field. What looked to be a sure three-run home run was brought back by Heller who dove and crashed into the portable fencing in the outfield as she made the near-impossible catch.

The play was initially ruled a home run by the field umpire, but upon a challenge by Rutgers head coach Jay Nelson, it was overturned and determined that Heller possessed the ball before crashing through the fence and falling out of the field of play.

The remarkable catch was an excellent way to cap off a solid afternoon for the Scarlet Knights as they improved to 2-2 on the season. 

Heller ended the game 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Hodges was 3-for-4 with two runs batted in. Also enjoying a solid day at the plate against Robert Morris were Valiante (2-for-2, one RBI), Loisel (2-for-4, one run scored), Miller (2-for-4, three runs scored) and Kalka (2-for-4, two runs scored). RU forced a total of three Robert Morris pitchers into action.

Junior Chrissy Yard (Hillsborough, N.J.) brought her season record to 1-1 with the win, allowing four hits in five innings and striking out six.

The Scarlet Knights will return to action on Feb. 29, for the Miken Classic, hosted by Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, Fla.