Hodges' Bat Propels Rutgers Softball To Split With Notre Dame

Monday, April 14

South Bend, Ind.

Rutgers University

16-24, 2-9

Notre Dame

26-11, 7-2

RUTGERS

Notre Dame

Hodges' Bat Propels Rutgers Softball To Split With Notre Dame

Apr 14 | Softball

Box Score

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Junior Kim Hodges (Houston, Texas) had a hand in the Scarlet Knights five runs as the Rutgers softball team (17-24, 3-9 BIG EAST) secured a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in game two of its doubleheader with Notre Dame (26-12, 7-3 BIG EAST) on Monday, April 14, at Melissa Cook Stadium in South Bend. The Irish earned a 1-0 decision in game one.

The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 12, but postponed due to inclement weather.

The Scarlet Knights found themselves in the midst of a pitching duel as both teams combined for just five hits. Although junior pitcher Chrissy Yard (Hillsborough, N.J.) held Notre Dame to four hits in the contest, it was a double in the third inning that proved costly as the RBI gave the Irish the run support it needed to win the opening game 1-0.

Irish starter Britteny Bargar issued five walks in the game which provided RU with its base runners, but the Scarlet Knights were unable to plate the tying or winning run.

Notre Dame took a two-run lead in the first inning of game two with a home run to right field. Linda Kohan doubled to left-center and was then driven home on Katie Fleury's long ball.

Rutgers closed the gap to one run (2-1) in the top of the fourth with a RBI-sacrifice fly from Hodges. Junior Kate Valiante (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) was hit by a pitch, Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, Calif.) singled up the middle and sophomore Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) earned a walk to load the bases for the Scarlet Knights as Hodges plated the run with a fly ball to left field.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Irish extended their lead with the aid of two RU errors as the miscues allowed for a pair of runs to score. Notre Dame went up 4-1 with the first run scoring on an RBI-groundout, while the other was plated by an infield error.

A four-run rally in the sixth inning provided the Scarlet Knights with the shift in momentum they needed as RU took over the lead and the eventual 5-4 victory. Valiante (hit by pitch), Kalka (walk) and Lindley (error) again loaded the bases as they did earlier in the game. However, instead of driving in one run, this time Hodges cleared the bags with a double to left field, tying the game at 4-4. After advancing to third on the throw, Hodges then gave her team the one-run win as she came home on a passed ball.

Lindley picked up the win in game two to improve to 6-4 on the season.

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).