Valiante Grand Slam Leads Rutgers Softball to Sweep at Princeton

Wednesday, April 9

Princeton, N.J.

Rutgers

15-21

Princeton

11-18

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
RUTGERS	0	1	5	0	0	3	0	9	6	1
Princeton	4	0	0	0	1	0	0	5	7	2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
RUTGERS	3	0	1	1	2	0	0	7	9	0
Princeton	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	4	2

Valiante Grand Slam Leads Rutgers Softball to Sweep at Princeton

Apr 09 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PRINCETON, N.J. - Junior shortstop Kate Valiante (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) went 3-for-7 at the plate, including a grand slam and drove in seven runs as the Rutgers softball team (16-21) extended its win streak to three straight games with a doubleheader sweep of Princeton (11-19) on Wednesday evening at the Class of 1895 Field. RU won game one 9-5 and defeated the Tigers 7-2 in the nightcap.

Game One:
Princeton went ahead with four runs in the first inning but a pair of home runs by Valiante reversed the lead, giving Rutgers the victory. The Tigers' four-run edge lasted only until the top of the second when junior Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, N.J.) homered to right field for her team-best fourth of the season.

Junior Amanda Shaw (Yorba Linda, Calif.) singled to left center, while classmate Amanda Heller (Belle Mead, N.J.) reached safely on an error by the left fielder. Senior Mallory Miller (Anaheim, Calf.) earned a walk before Valiante would clear the bases with a home run to center field, chasing Princeton starter Kristen Schaus from the contest.

Rutgers tacked on another run to close out the inning and pulled ahead 6-4 with an RBI-single by junior Brittany Loisel (Gilbert, Ariz.). The Tigers inched closer with a run-scoring fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth but Valiante struck again in the sixth to put the game away for the Scarlet Knights.

Senior Shantai Dixon (Sayreville, N.J.) was issued a walk to start the inning while Heller was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat to give RU a pair of runners on the bases. With two outs, Valiante blasted her second home run of the game, this time to left field as Rutgers put three more runs on the board for the 9-5 win.

Junior Chrissy Yard (Hillsborough, N.J.) picked up the decision to move to 5-11 on the year, while sophomore Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) earned her first save of the year, allowing one run in three innings of work.

Game Two:
The Scarlet Knights scored three in the first inning for an early lead and maintained the advantage over the stretch to take game two. Miller reached on a fielder's choice, moved to second on a walk (Valiante) and advanced to third when freshman Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) singled to through the left side.

Kalka then drove in the Scarlet Knights' next two runs of the inning with a double to right field, plating Valiante and Craig.

Princeton chipped away at the lead in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI sacrifice fly to move to within two runs (3-1). However, the Scarlet Knights scattered more four runs over three innings to secure the win.

After reaching on a fielder's choice and advancing to second on a wild pitch, Miller was plated with a single through the right side by Craig pushing the Rutgers lead to three (4-1).

In the fourth inning, the Scarlet Knights added another run with an RBI-single by Shaw. Freshman Jen Meinheit (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) hit a bunt single to start the inning, stole second base and then advanced to third on a groundout before scoring on Shaw's single through the left side.

Valiante led off the fifth inning with a double to left field and moved to third on a sac bunt by Craig. Kalka followed with a double to left field, driving in her game-high third run. RU jumped out to its largest lead (7-1) of the evening with another run as senior Ashley Hartley (Ripon, Calif.) plated Kalka with a single to right center.

Princeton scored a single run in the sixth but it was not enough as Lindley retired the final three batters of the seventh inning in order to give RU the 7-2 win. Lindley improved to 5-3 on the season with the complete-game victory, allowing four hits while striking out four.

Rutgers will resume conference play with a BIG EAST road trip at Notre Dame on Saturday, April 12 and DePaul on Sunday, April 13.