Rutgers Softball Splits With No. 25 Louisville

Wednesday, April 14

Piscataway, N.J.

Rutgers University

14-21, 0

Louisville

25-13, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Louisville	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	3	2
Rutgers	0	2	0	0	0	1	X	3	5	1

Apr 14 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (April 14, 2010) – The Rutgers softball team (14-22, 2-5) earned its first win over a ranked opponent in the Jay Nelson era, as the Scarlet Knights defeated No. 25 Louisville, 3-1, in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday, April 14 at the RU Softball Complex. RU pushed UofL to 11 innings in game two, but fell by a score of 6-4. 

Sophomore Brittney Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) moved to second all-time on the RU single season home run list with her eighth blast of 2010 – a three-run homer in game two to put the Scarlet Knights up, 4-2, in the third. The third baseman needs four more round trippers to tie Nikki Childress (2004) for the lead.

“(Louisville) made some great plays to keep us from scoring in game two,” said Rutgers head coach Jay Nelson. “If the       center fielder doesn’t make a perfect throw (in the 10^thinning to get Ashley Bragg out at the plate), we win the game. I thought the first game showed the girls that we can play with anyone and will give them confidence going into the next five games.”

Nicole Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) tallied the win in game one, allowing one run off just three hits in seven innings. The righty took the loss in game two, going 6.2 innings, allowing just two runs on eight hits, fanning three. The senior ace moved to 7-12 on the season.

The Scarlet Knights got out of a jam in the first with runners on first and third after a single by Vanessa James and a fielder’s choice. Jordan Trimble attempted to steal second, and Madden threw it down towards second, but classmate Jen Harabedian (Flemington, N.J.) cut the ball off and fired it back to home to catch James trying to steal home.

Rutgers got on the board in the second, as junior Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) senta leadoff double into the gap in left center. Sophomore Mikelyn Messina (Prospect, Conn.) reached on an error by the shortstop, as Colby Wherry threw it in the dirt, and stole second. Freshman Kaci Madden (Saratoga, N.Y.) sent a blooper that landed on the right field line and advanced to second on an error by the Louisville right fielder, scoring Craig and Madden to give RU a 2-0 lead.       

Louisville countered in the top of the fourth with an RBI single by Chelsea Bemis. The Scarlet Knights could have gave up more runs, but made a spectacular double play with runners on first and second. Sophomore Lindsey Curran (Monroe Twp., N.J.) caught the ball in right and fired it in to Brittney Lindley who tried to get the runner at first. As Alicja Wolny tried to steal third, Craig fired it over for the tag and the second out of the inning.

RU notched another run in the bottom of the sixth as Craig tallied another double down the left field line. Messina advanced pinch runner Danielle Procopio (Vineland, N.J.) to third with a sacrifice bunt down the line and Harabedian scored her with a single through the right side. 

Noelle Sisco (Towaco, N.J.) earned the nod in game two, giving up four runs on five hits in 3.1 innings. Holly Johnson (Cheektowaga, N.Y.) saw one inning of scoreless relief in the 11th.

In game two, Rutgers got on in the bottom of the second with a two-out double to left by Harabedian, but the Scarlet Knights could not capitalize.

UofL’s Melissa Roth homered in the top of the third to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

Rutgers answered in the bottom of the third, as junior Mickenzie Alden (Spokane, Wash.) singled up the middle to start the inning off. Curran attempted to sacrifice the junior over and reached on an error as the Louisville second baseman missed the ball and both runners moved to second and third. Freshman Ashley Bragg (Middletown, Del.) singled to left field and advanced on the throw to third, bringing home Alden and moving Curran 60 feet from home. Brittney Lindley stepped to the plate and smashed the ball to center, a three run shot that put RU up 4-2.

Louisville came right back in the top of the fourth, scoring two runs on three hits, as a double by Kristen Austin scored Bemis and Colby Wherry.

RU got out of a no out, bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth. With the infield in, Brittney Lindley fired the ball to home, getting the first out. Next, Harabedian fielded the ball at second and threw to home to deny the run and Kylee Bishop (Tacoma, Wash.) caught James sleeping at third, tallying the second double play of the doubleheader. 

UofL scored in the top of the 11^th, with a two-run shot by Roth to right field.

The Scarlet Knights return to action Thursday, April 15 at the RU Softball Complex when the squad steps out of conference play to take on Army at 3 p.m.