Senior Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) got the nod in game one, going five innings with three earned runs on seven hits and fanning three. Sophomore Holly Johnson (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) started game two, giving up eight runs on 11 hits in 3.2 total innings.

 

Rutgers got off to a solid start against Iowa (5-2), as Nicole Lindley pitched two innings of 1-2-3 softball, notching one strikeout and not allowing an Iowa batter to reach the outfield grass. In the top of the first, Brittany Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) worked a two-out walk and Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) capitalized, singling to left field and sending the sophomore to second. Mikelyn Messina (Prospect, Conn.) ended the inning on a hard hit ball to second base.

 

In the top of the third, Lindsey Curran (Monroe Twp., N.J.) earned a two-out walk and Brittany Lindley singled up the middle to advance the runner. Craig ended the inning on a fielder’s choice to third base.      

 

Iowa got on the bases in the bottom of the third, as Liz Watkins singled through the left side. The Hawkeyes used small ball to knock in their first run, sacrificing the runner over and getting a RBI single up the middle from Johnnie Dowling. Rutgers got out of the jam, as Danielle Procopio (Vineland, N.J.) caught a fly in right and doubled off Dowling at second.

 

The Hawkeyes scored two runs apiece in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings as the RU bats went quiet. In the fourth, Katie Brown singled up the middle to bring in the runners on second and third. In the fifth, two RU errors allowed two more UI runs. Freshman Abbey Houston (New Egypt, N.J.) came in to relieve Nicole Lindley in the sixth, giving up two runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout. 

Sophomore Sam Parlich went 3-for-4 with a home run, leading Arizona State (6-1) to the victory. Megan Elliott pitched all five innings, striking out three.  

The Scarlet Knights are back on the diamond tomorrow, as RU takes on Texas State and Illinois State at 10:30 a.m. ET and 2 p.m. ET.