Softball Splits Doubleheader at Purdue

Saturday, March 28

West Lafayette, Ind.

3:00 PM

Rutgers

13-9, 3-2

Purdue

23-10, 4-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rutgers	0	0	3	0	1	0	4	8	17	2
Purdue	1	0	2	4	4	0	X	11	14	1

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

Mar 28 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

March 28, 2015

Final Stats

WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. (March 28, 2014) - The Rutgers softball team opened its series at Purdue by splitting a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at the Boilermaker Softball Stadium. The Scarlet Knights recorded a 5-0 shutout over the Boilermakers in the first game of the day, followed by an 11-8 loss in game two.

"We did real well in the first game. Alyssa pitched very well today. She kept Purdue off balance and shut them out. We also drove in five runs and played a clean defensive game," said head coach Jay Nelson.

"In the second game, we became a little complacent. There were a few things we shouldn't let happen, such as letting up bunts and steals. We have to tighten those things up."

Rutgers improves to an overall record 13-9 and a mark of 3-2 in the Big Ten. Purdue moved to 23-10 overall and 4-1 in league action.

GAME ONE
Rutgers shut out Purdue, 5-0, to open the day. Junior Elizabeth Adams (Crystal Lake, Ill.) led RU with a 2-for-3 performance, including her second home run of the season. Senior Chandler Howard (North Wilmington, Del.) also added a homer in the win.

In her first trip to the plate, Howard sent her first home run of the year over the center field fence to generate an early 1-0 lead for RU.

Purdue responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the inning, however, senior lefty Alyssa Landrith (Vacaville, Calif.) induced a fly out to escape the first unharmed.

After two scoreless innings from either side, freshman Rebecca Hall (Fairfax, Va.) drove senior Jackie Bates (Lincroft, N.J.) home with an RBI single to extend RU's edge to 2-0 in the top of the fourth.

The Boilermakers' following trip to the plate would not last long. Right after the Scarlet Knights registered a double play, Landrith sent the next batter down swinging to end the inning.

RU kept its momentum rolling as Adams led off the fifth with a double. Carr and Huang followed with hits of their own to load the bases. Howard would then send Huang across with a ground-out RBI. The Scarlet Knights would go on to add another, stretching their lead to 4-0.

After Adams extended RU's advantage to 5-0 with her second collegiate homer, Landrith worked back-to-back 1-2-3 and out innings to register her second shutout of the season.

GAME TWO
In a game of rallies, Rutgers was topped, 11-8, by Purdue. Despite the loss, the Scarlet Knights registered 17 hits, marking the most hits for RU in a single game since 2010.

Purdue put one across in the bottom of the first to start off the game with a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the third, Huang ignited a rally with a leadoff triple. After Howard sent Huang home with an RBI single up the middle, Bates kept it rolling with an RBI double to score Howard. The Scarlet Knights didn't stop there as junior Jordan Whitley (Clayton, Del.) registered the fourth consecutive hit of the inning, bringing Bates home and generating a 3-1 lead for RU.

The Boilermakers countered with six unanswered runs across the next two innings of play to reclaim a 7-3 lead.

The Scarlet Knight bats remained hot as RU unloaded three consecutive hits to load the bases in the top of the fifth. Junior Melanie Slowinski (Severn, Md.) stole home on a wild pitch to cut RU's deficit to three, 7-4.

Purdue would go on to register another four-run inning via three hits, four stolen bases and one error to extend its advantage to 11-4.

With two outs in the game's final inning, Adams notched a single to keep the game alive. Huang followed with an RBI single, sending freshman pinch runner Meaghan Wells (Piscataway, N.J.) home. Howard capitalized on the momentum with a single of her own, advancing runners to second and third. Up next, Bates cleared the bases with a double to center field to bring the score to 11-8. Ultimately, the late rally from RU was not enough to surpass Purdue.

Rutgers and Purdue return to action on Sunday at 1 p.m. for the rubber game of the series.

KNIGHT NOTES

Alyssa Landrith (7-5) pitched a complete game for her second shutout of the season and 23^rd of her career. Landrith ranks third on the Rutgers all-time shutout list and is one away from moving into a tie at second.
Landrith brought her career total to 59 wins and is four wins away from tying for second on the all-time wins list.
Chandler Howard registered her first home run of the season to bring her career total to 13 homers.
Liz Adams notched her second homer of the year and of her career.
Rutgers handed Purdue its first loss in conference action and its first loss at home this season.
The Scarlet Knights recorded 17 hits in game two, marking the most hits since RU recorded 15 hits at Louisville on March 22, 2013.
Three Scarlet Knights recorded three hits in the loss - Jackie Bates, Stephanie Huang and Carly Todd.
The 11 runs let up in game two were the most runs allowed by the Scarlet Knights in a game this season.
Stephanie Huang registered the first triple of her career in game two, while Jackie Bates added her third of the season. It marked the first time since 2010 that two Scarlet Knights recorded a triple in a single game.
Bates notched a career-high four RBIs in the second game, moving her career total to 108. She is five away from tying for third in the Rutgers record books.

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-