Softball Claims Two Over Villanova

Wednesday, April 15

Piscataway, N.J.

4:30 PM

Rutgers University

23-12

Villanova

19-21

Villanova

Rutgers

Apr 15 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

April 15, 2015

Final Stats

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (April 15, 2015) -- Guided by career days from multiple Scarlet Knights, the Rutgers softball team swept former BIG EAST rival Villanova in a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader at the RU Softball Complex. The Scarlet Knights claimed a 3-1 victory in the opening contest, followed by a 10-4 victory to complete the sweep.

Rutgers improved to an overall record of 23-12, while Villanova fell to a mark of 19-21.

Highlighting the day, senior Alyssa Landrith (Vacaville, Calif.) registered the 65th win of her career, tying for the top spot on the Rutgers all-time career list. Classmate Jackie Bates (Lincroft, N.J.) also etched her name a top the charts, tying for the all-time single-season record with 13 home runs.

GAME ONE

Rutgers opened the doubleheader with a 3-1 victory over Villanova. The Scarlet Knights registered three home runs from freshman Rebecca Hall (Fairfax, Va.) and seniors Chandler Howard (North Wilmington, Del.) and Bates in the contest to recover from an early 1-0 deficit.

After two scoreless frames from both RU and VU, the Wildcats took the lead, 1-0, via a two-out home run from Lauren Herschberg. However, junior Dresden Maddox (Kennesaw, Ga.) retired the next batter to the plate to close the top half of the third.

Hall evened the score, 1-1, with a home run of her own in the bottom of the fourth. The Scarlet Knight defense backed up her efforts by closing the top of the fifth via a solid double play.

In the Scarlet Knights next trip to the plate, Howard led off with a homer to center field, putting RU in front, 2-1. Up next, Bates extended the advantage with a home run of her own, marking her 12th long ball of the season.

Dresden Maddox held strong in the circle, retiring five consecutive batters at the plate across the final two innings of play. The junior right-hander capped off a 1-2-3 inning in the top half of the seventh by sending the final batter down swinging to shut down the contest with a win for RU.

GAME TWO

Rutgers wrapped up the day with a 10-4 victory in the second game against Villanova.

Freshman Sierra Maddox (Kennesaw, Ga.) led the Scarlet Knights with her first two collegiate home runs, going 4-for-4 at the plate along with three runs and four RBIs.

The contest opened as a pitcher's duel once again as neither side was able to get a run across in the first two innings of play. Villanova broke up the battle, plating a run in the top of the third. However, Bates responded with her second homer of the day and 13th of the season in the bottom half of frame to tie the contest.

After sophomore Shayla Sweeney (Barrington, N.J.) worked a 1-2-3 inning to keep the count even, Sierra Maddox notched the first long ball of her career to put the Scarlet Knights in front, 2-1.

The Wildcats responded with a three-run inning via five hits to move ahead yet again in the top of the fifth. After Landrith entered the circle with two inherited runners, Sierra McConnell sent both runners home to give Villanova a 3-2 lead. Although Stephanie Butler followed with an RBI single to extend the Wildcats lead to 4-2, Landrith sent the final batter down swinging to prevent any further damage.

Following back-to-back hits from Hall and sophomore Carly Todd (Deptford, N.J.), Sierra Maddox found a prime time to register her second homer of the day, bringing three runs in to return the lead to RU, 5-4.

After Landrith registered a scoreless and hitless frame in the top of the sixth, the Scarlet Knights kept their momentum rolling. Singles from Bates and junior Melanie Slowinski (Severn, Md.) gave Hall the chance to send Bates home. Todd kept the rally going, registering a base hit to send Slowinski across.

Adding to a tremendous day, Sierra Maddox notched RU's fifth hit of the inning to load the bases. Up next, freshman Meaghan Wells (Piscataway, N.J.) cleared the bases with a double to left field and extended the Scarlet Knights' lead to 10-4.

Despite surrendering two hits in the top of the seventh, Landrith struck out three Wildcats in a row to register the 65^th victory of her career to tie for the first-place spot on the Rutgers all-time career wins list.

Up next, the Scarlet Knights return to conference action with a three-game series at Ohio State from April 17-19.

KNIGHT NOTES

Rutgers extended its win streak to three consecutive contests. The Scarlet Knights have won 10 of its last 13 games.
RU recorded three home runs in each contest for a total of six on the day from a combination of four different Scarlet Knights
Alyssa Landrith registered the 65th victory of her career to tie for the top spot on the Rutgers all-time career wins list.
Jackie Bates set a new single-season high with 13 home runs, tying for the top spot on the all-time single-season list.
Bates brought her career total to 31 homers and is now three long balls away from tying for the top spot in the career record books.
Chandler Howard and Rebecca Hall recorded their fourth home runs of the season.
In game two, Sierra Maddox notched her first two career home runs, registering a career-high four RBIs in the process.
Meaghan Wells registered the first double of her career, scoring a career-best three RBI with the hit.

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- RU-