Rutgers Softball Edged in BIG EAST Doubleheader at DePaul

Sunday, April 13

Chicago, Ill.

Rutgers

16-22, 2-7

DePaul

27-12, 6-3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
RUTGERS	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	4	2
DePaul Blue Demons	0	0	3	0	0	0	1	4	5	3

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
RUTGERS	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	3	6	0
DePaul Blue Demons	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	4	10	1

Rutgers Softball Edged in BIG EAST Doubleheader at DePaul

Apr 13 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CHICAGO, Ill. - The Rutgers softball team (16-23, 2-8 BIG EAST) lost two hard-fought games in its doubleheader with No. 22 DePaul (28-12, 7-3 BIG EAST) at Cacciatore Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Blue Demons won game one 4-3 and scored in the bottom of the ninth to take game two by the same score.

With three runs in the third inning, DePaul took an early lead and held that advantage until the top of the fourth when RU began to chip away at the deficit. The Scarlet Knights scored a run on an RBI-double to left field from freshman Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) plating junior Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, Calif.) who earned a walk and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kim Hodges (Houston, Texas).

Rutgers held DePaul without a hit over the next two and a half innings to keep the gap at two runs, before mounting a comeback in the top of the seventh.

The Scarlet Knights scored two runs on three hits to tie the game at 3-3 as junior Mallory Miller (Anaheim, Calif.) drove in the two scores with a single. Freshman Jen Meinheit (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) singled to the shortstop to start the inning and senior Christine Royland (Westwood, N.J.) was hit by a pitch to give RU its second base runner.

However, three singles in the bottom of the seventh allowed for the eventually game-winning run to score and ended any chance of a comeback victory for the Scarlet Knights as DePaul took the opening game 4-3.

In game two, Rutgers and DePaul traded a pair of runs in the first and second innings to tie the game at 2-2 until the fifth when RU took a one-run lead.

A walk to senior Ashley Hartley (Ripon, Calif.) and a fielder's choice by freshman Mickenzie Alden (Spokane, Wash.) gave the Scarlet Knights base runners as juniors Amanda Shaw (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Amanda Heller (Belle Mead, N.J.) each singled to drive in the two runs.

In the fifth inning, RU earned a one-run lead (3-2) with back-to-back doubles by Miller and junior Kate Valiante (Mt. Laurel, N.J.). DePaul forced extra-innings in the bottom of the seventh when it scored the tying run with a solo home run to right field.

The Blue Demons then clinched the 4-3 victory in the bottom of the ninth with an RBI-single to center field.

The Scarlet Knights will return to action for a road doubleheader at Monmouth on Wednesday, April 16, before returning to the RU Softball Complex to close out the home BIG EAST schedule against Providence (April 19) and Connecticut (April 20).