Softball Extends Win Streak to Five

Saturday, March 14

Clearwater, Fla.

9:00 AM

Rutgers

9-6

Central Michigan

7-13

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Central Michigan	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	5	1
Rutgers	0	1	0	1	3	1	X	6	9	0

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

Mar 14 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

March 14, 2015

Final Stats

CLEARWATER, FLA. (MARCH 13, 2015) - The Rutgers softball team continued its momentum with another two-win day at the Michele Smith Spring Break Tournament, topping Central Michigan, 6-1, and Toledo, 4-2.

The Scarlet Knights extend their win streak to five games, improving to an overall record of 10-6. The Chippewas dropped to a mark of 7-13 and the Rockets fell to a record of 10-14.

GAME ONE

In its first game of the day, Rutgers erased an early 1-0 deficit to claim a 6-1 victory over Central Michigan.

CMU put one on the board first with a home run from Katelyn Rentschler in the top of the second. However, RU tied the game, 1-1, in the bottom of the inning via an RBI single from freshman Rebecca Hall (Fairfax, Va.).

Sophomore right-hander Shayla Sweeney (Barrington, N.J.) and the defense held strong retiring six consecutive Chippewa hitters at the plate across the third and fourth innings.

Following the strong defensive outing, sophomore Dana Hendry (Yorba Linda, Calif.) gave RU the lead with an RBI single in bottom of the fourth.

CMU led off the fifth with a double from Rentschler, however, Sweeney retired the remaining three to strand the tying run on base.

The Scarlet Knights kept their momentum rolling with three more runs in the bottom of the fifth. A double from senior Chandler Howard (North Wilmington, Del.) scored junior Stephanie Huang (Paramus, N.J.). Next, classmate Melanie Slowinski (Severn, Md.) registered a double of her own to send in senior Jackie Bates (Lincroft, N.J.) and Howard, generating a 5-1 lead for RU.

Rutgers tacked on one more run in the bottom of the sixth for the contests final margin of 6-1, while Sweeney registered her second win of the season.

GAME TWO

Rutgers claimed a victory in its second game of the day, edging Toledo by a score of 4-2.

Huang registered a leadoff single to open the game for RU. Up next, Bates registered her second home run of the season to give the Scarlet Knights a 2-0 lead at the top of the first.

The Rockets responded by adding a two-run homer of their own to even the score, 2-2.

Despite entering the circle with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, senior lefty Alyssa Landrith (Vacaville, Calif.) retired the last batter to end the inning unharmed.

At the start of the third, the Scarlet Knights reclaimed the lead, 3-1, via an RBI single from junior Jordan Whitley (Clayton, Del.). Landrith and the defense then ended the inning with a 1-2-3 and out performance.

After RU was unable to get anything across in the top of the fourth, UT found a chance to tie the game in the second half of the inning. With two outs, back-to-back singles from the Rockets put a runner on first and second. However, Landrith sent the final batter down swinging to strand the leading runs on base.

The Scarlet Knights cushioned their lead, 4-2, with an additional run in the fifth, while Landrith retired three straight at the plate to maintain the advantage.

Landrith didn't stop there as she registered two consecutive strike outs to close the sixth.

In the bottom of the seventh, the outfielders backed up the senior pitcher as Bates made two tremendous grabs at center field and Hall pulled in a pop up to seal the victory for Rutgers.

KNIGHT NOTES

Rutgers is on a five-game win streak for the first time this season.
Alyssa Landrith recorded the 57th win of career and is now tied at third on the Rutgers all-time career list.
Landrith boasts 523 career strikeouts to lead the RU record books.
Shayla Sweeney earned her second victory of the season to improve her overall record to 2-1.
Jackie Bates recorded her fifth home run of the year. Bates ranks second on the all-time list with 23 homers.
Bates has recorded a hit in 13 consecutive games and has reached base in 15 straight games.
Stephanie Huang and Rebecca Hall are both on an eight-game hit streak.
Jordan Whitley has registered a hit in 13 of the last 14 contests.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers softball, follow the program on Twitter (@RUSoftball) and Instagram (@RU_Softball). The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersSB).

- RU-