Rutgers Softball Starts Lady Pirates Classic 3-1

Friday, March 4

Hampton, Va.

Rutgers University

5-6

Fairleigh Dickinson

3-2

Rutgers

Fairleigh Dickinson

Rutgers Softball Starts Lady Pirates Classic 3-1

Mar 05 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score 3

Hampton, Va. (March 5, 2011) – Rutgers softball (6-7) downed three opponents Friday and Saturday at the Lady Pirates Classic, defeating Marist (9-4), Fairleigh Dickinson (7-1) and Brown (15-3) while falling to CCSU (7-1). The Scarlet Knights showcased their power, smashing five home runs over four games.

Rutgers started the weekend with a 9-4 win over Marist on Friday. Mikelyn Messina (Prospect, Conn.) started the Scarlet Knights off in the first with a RBI double to right field. Junior Brittney Lindley (Cicero, N.Y.) – who got on after she was hit by a pitch – scored after a pitch got away from the catcher to put RU up 2-0.

The Scarlet Knights added two more runs in the bottom of the second, as sophomore Kaci Madden (Saratoga, N.Y.) singled to right and drove in Jen Meinheit (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) and Jen Harabedian (Flemington, N.J.).

RU broke the game open in the third with a two-out rally. After a Mandy Craig (Manassas, Va.) homer to right center, the Scarlet Knights used three hits and a Marist error to score four more runs and take a 9-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Against Fairleigh Dickinson, Rutgers did its damage in the second inning. After back-to-back singles by Harabedian and Mickenzie Alden (Spokane, Wash.), Kylee Bishop (Tacoma, Wash.) moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Meinheit drove a run in with a fielder’s choice. Lindley and Craig walked in two more to give RU a 3-0 lead. Sophomore Ashley Bragg (Middleton, Del.) singled to right field, scoring two runs for RU. Craig stole home to give the Scarlet Knights a 6-0 lead and the Knights would not counter.

Rutgers recorded another six-run inning in the first against Brown, as RU notched six hits – including three-consecutive home runs by Lindley, Craig and Messina – to build up a 6-0 lead. The Bears would get three back in the bottom half of the inning, but another six-run seventh inning, including a home run by Madden, sealed the win for the Scarlet Knights. 

In the loss to Central Connecticut State, Rutgers tallied eight hits, but could not string enough together and committed three errors as the Scarlet Knights fell, 7-1. Craig went 2-for-3 with a double in the effort.

Pitchers Noelle Sisco (Towaco, N.J.), Abbey Houston (New Egypt, N.J.), and Megan Williams (Richmond, Va.) all recorded wins for RU. In two appearances, Williams posted a 0.78 ERA, allowing just one run on four hits and fanning four. Houston struck out seven through 14 innings.

Rutgers continues play at the Lady Pirates Classic tomorrow with University of Maryland Eastern Shore at 9 a.m.