Softball Edged in Series Finale at Michigan State

Sunday, May 1

East Lansing, Mich.

1:00 PM

Rutgers

24-29, 8-12

Michigan State

25-26, 6-14

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Rutgers	1	2	0	1	0	0	0	4	10	2
Michigan State	0	3	0	3	0	0	X	6	4	2

Softball Edged in Series Finale at Michigan State

May 01 | Softball

Box Score

May 1, 2016

Final Stats

EAST LANSING, MICH. (May 1, 2016) - In a game that saw four lead changes, Rutgers softball was edged by Michigan State, 6-4, in the series finale on Sunday at Secchia Stadium.

Rutgers dropped to an overall record of 24-29 and a Big Ten mark of 8-12, while Michigan State improved to 25-26 overall and 6-14 in league action.

Senior Dresden Maddox (Kennesaw, Ga.) (9-13) suffered the loss for RU, while Kristina Zalewski (13-14) earned a complete-game victory for MSU.

Rutgers was led by seniors Jordan Whitley (Clayton, Del.) and Melanie Slowinski (Severn, Md.), and sophomore Rebecca Hall (Fairfax, Va.) with two hits each in the loss.

Three Spartans registered home runs in the contest to contribute all six RBIs, including Kaitlyn Eveland, Ebonee Echols and Lindsey Besson.

Rutgers effortlessly plated the first run of the game with four consecutive hits in the top of the first. After senior Stephanie Huang (Paramus, N.J.), Whitley, and Hall each posted a hit to load the bases, Slowinski then added RU's fourth straight base hit to send Huang home for a 1-0 Rutgers edge.

Following a 1-2-3 inning for Maddox to end the first, Rutgers tacked on two more runs in the top of the third. Freshman Nicolette Anico (Liberty County, Fla.), who reached on an error, would go on to cross home on a Huang groundout. Whitley then registered an RBI single to push RU's advantage to 3-0.

Michigan State countered by tying the score with three runs on two hits in the bottom of the frame. A two-run homer for Eveland brought the Spartans within one followed by a sacrifice fly for Besson to knot the score at 3-3.

Despite loading the bases, the Scarlet Knights were unable to bring in a run in the top of the third. However, the RU defense held strong. After a tremendous catch for freshman Adriana Burcar (La Palma, Calif.) in center posted the first out, the infield worked a double play to escape the third and keep the score tied.

In the top of the fourth, Rutgers reclaimed its lead on an RBI single from Slowinski, putting RU ahead 4-3.

However, MSU used two home runs and an RU error to plate three runs to move back in front, 6-4. Freshman Whitney Jones (Santa Monica, Calif.) entered the circle retiring two of the three batters faced at the plate to keep it a two-run margin.

As the RU struggled to bring in a run, Jones retired three consecutive Spartans at the plate with help from the outfield to strand a runner on base and escape the fifth inning unharmed.

Although, the righty freshman followed the outing with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth to hold the score at 6-4 that would remain the game's final margin.

UP NEXT
Rutgers concludes its regular season with a trip to No. 2 Michigan for a three-game series from May 6-7.

KNIGHT NOTES

Rutgers dropped the series to Michigan State, 2-1.
RU fell to 1-2 in Big Ten contests decided by two runs.

Melanie Slowinski added her team-high 10^th multiple RBI game of the season. Slowinski also added her 16^th multiple hit game of the year.
Stephanie Huang is on a six-game hitting streak and has registered a hit in eight of the last nine contests.

Rebecca Hall extended her reached base streak to nine, while Huang also has reached base in nine straight contests.

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

- RU-