Softball Claims 11-5 Victory in Rematch with Hofstra

Wednesday, March 29

Hempstead, N.Y.

4:00 PM

Rutgers University

9-21

Hofstra

10-13

Rutgers

Hofstra

Softball Claims 11-5 Victory in Rematch with Hofstra

Mar 29 | Softball

Box Score

March 29, 2017

Final Stats

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The Rutgers softball team claimed an 11-5 victory in season rematch against Hofstra at Bill Edwards Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.

Senior Shayla Sweeney registered her sixth complete game victory of the season for RU (9-21, 1-2 Big Ten) to improve to a record of 8-6 in the circle. Junior Rebecca Hall notched three hits, including her tenth home run of the season, and led the team with a career best four RBIs.

Five Pride batters notched two hits each, as Brielle Pietrafesa led the way with a home run and two RBIs. Sarah Cornell (9-6) suffered the loss in the circle for Hofstra (10-13, 1-2 CAA).

Following back-to-back hits for freshman Taryn Atlee and sophomore Nicolette Anico, freshman Nicole Bowman registered a double to send in Atlee. Hall then added a single of her own, as a Pride error sent home Anico and Bowman for a 3-0 RU edge in the top of the first.

After Sweeney retired three of four batters at the plate, a two-RBI double for Hall would extend the Scarlet Knights advantage to 5-0 in the second.

Sweeney then recorded three strikeouts in the bottom of the frame, stranding a runner on and holding the RU lead intact.

Hofstra posted a run in the third inning. However, Sweeney dealt her fifth strikeout of the game to strand three more runners on to hold the margin at 5-1.

In the top of the fifth, Rutgers tacked on five runs to grow its lead to 10-1. Four consecutive walks for RU forced junior Meaghan Wells home to start off the rally. A fielder's choice for senior Carly Todd would send in two runs followed by groundout for Jacqueline Kott to add two more.

The Pride countered in the bottom of the frame with four runs on four hits and two RU errors to cut into the Scarlet Knights' edge 10-5.

Hall would register a home run in the top of the seventh to cap off the win for Rutgers

UP NEXT
Rutgers will conclude a 34-game road swing with a three-game series at Ohio State from March 31-April 2. The series opener will be televised live on Big Ten Network on Friday at 5 p.m. ET.

KNIGHT NOTES
-Shayla Sweeney registered her sixth complete game win of the season and eighth complete game overall. Sweeney dealt six strikeouts in the win, which was three shy of her career best.
-Rebecca Hall now sits at fifth on Rutgers all-time single season record list with her 10^th home run of the season. Hall added three hits in the contest, which was one shy of her career high.
-Taryn Atlee registered her 11th multi-hit game, while also drawing a career- high three walks.
-Nicolette Anico matched her career best for the second consecutive game with three runs.
-Rutgers and Hofstra met earlier in the season at the FGCU Four Points Invite, where the Pride edged out a 3-1, extra inning win over RU. The Scarlet Knights are now winners of three of the last four matchups with the Pride.

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-