Rutgers
21-29, 4-15
Seton Hall
23-28-1, 9-14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seton Hall | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| RUTGERS | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
Rutgers Softball Splits BIG EAST Doubleheader With Seton Hall
Apr 26 | Softball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers softball team (21-30, 4-16 BIG EAST) split its doubleheader with instate and BIG EAST rival Seton Hall (24-28-1, 10-14 BIG EAST) on Sunday, April 26. The Scarlet Knights won game one 9-1 in five innings, but fell in game two 3-2.
Rutgers sprinted out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning as senior Sarah Kalka (Moreno Valley, Calif.) hit a two-run, two-out homer to right center. The home run tied for the team-lead fourth on the season and also made Kalka the all-time leader in Rutgers history with 21.
| (Tom Ciszek/NJSportsPhoto) |
Seton Hall got on the board in the fifth inning, cutting RU's lead to six (7-1) with a bases-loaded RBI-single up the middle from Nalin Bennett, however the Scarlet Knights quickly responded in the bottom half of the inning and shut the door on the Pirates' come-back attempt.
Rutgers scored a pair of runs, to pick up the five-inning 9-1 victory. Senior Kate Valiante (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) started the rally with a leadoff double down the right field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Senior Kim Hodges (Houston, Texas) walked to put runners on the corners, while an RBI-groundout from freshman Brittney Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) advanced the base runners, scoring Valiante and moving Hodges to second.
With the winning run at second base, sophomore Mickenzie Alden (Spokane, Wash.) stepped to the plate and drove a pitch to right center to score Hodges and end the game.
Freshman Holly Johnson (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) earned the win to improve to 7-6 on the season. Johnson allowed one run on just three hits while striking out five.
In game two, Seton Hall reversed its fortunes, this time taking the early lead. Bennett walked and then stole second before scoring on an RBI-double from Kealan Waldron as the Pirates took a 1-0 advantage. SHU pulled ahead further with another run (2-0) in the fourth coming from a double followed by an RBI-single to left center.
The Scarlet Knights tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run double to right center from Brittney Lindley. Kalka walked and sophomore Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) dropped a single down the left field line to start the inning, putting a pair on the bags for RU. Seton Hall chose to intentionally walk Hodges and load the bases to get to Brittney Lindley. Brittney made the Pirates pay, sending the first pitch to deep right center. The double scored Kalka and Procopio, who pinch ran for Craig.
Seton Hall snapped the tie in the sixth inning with a leadoff home run from Waldron to take a 3-2 lead. The long ball proved to be the defining score as Rutgers was unable to mount a comeback. Junior Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) suffered the hard-luck loss, moving to 12-12 on the season. Nicole allowed three runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts.
The Scarlet Knights will return to action for their final home game of the regular season, hosting LIU on Thursday, April 30 at 4:30 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: JOHNSON, Holly (7-6)
L: FORSYTH, Ashley (8-14)
Batting:
RBI: BENNETT, Nalin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: RAGUCCI, Jeanette 1
SB: BENNETT, Nalin 1
HBP: REED, Michelle 1
Batting:
2B: MEINHEIT, Jen 1 ; VALIANTE, Kate 1 ; ALDEN, Mickenzie 2
HR: KALKA, Sarah 1
RBI: SHAW, Amanda 1 ; MEINHEIT, Jen 2 ; KALKA, Sarah 3 ; LINDLEY, Brittney 1 ; ALDEN, Mickenzie 1
SH: HELLER, Amanda 1 ; HODGES, Kim 1 ; LINDLEY, Brittney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SHAW, Amanda 1 ; MEINHEIT, Jen 2 ; KALKA, Sarah 1 ; VALIANTE, Kate 1 ; HODGES, Kim 1 ; PROCOPIO, Danielle 1 ; LINDLEY, Brittney 1 ; ALDEN, Mickenzie 1
SB: SHAW, Amanda 1 ; LINDLEY, Brittney 1
