Rutgers University
10-26, 1-7
Nebraska
15-20, 5-3
Softball Drops Doubleheader to Nebraska in Home Opener
Apr 08 | Softball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers softball team opened its 2017 home slate with a doubleheader against Nebraska on Saturday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights (10-26, 1-7 Big Ten) suffered a 7-4 loss to the Cornhuskers (15-20, 5-3 BigTen) by a score a 7-4 in the first game before falling in a high-scoring affair in the second game, 15-12.
GAME ONE
Despite a three-run homer for freshman Anyssa Iliopoulos tying the contest in the third, Rutgers fell to Nebraska, 7-4, in the first game of the day.
Four Scarlet Knights added a hit, led by Iliopoulos with her second career home run and a career-best three RBIs. Senior Shayla Sweeney suffered the loss for RU.
Nebraska was guided by Alyvia Simmons with a 3-for-4 performance, including three runs. MJ Knighten followed with two hits and three RBIs. Kaylan Jablonski, the Co-Big Ten Player of the Week and NFCA and USA Softball National Player of the Week, picked up the win in the circle.
Although Nebraska generated a 3-0 edge by the top of the third, a three-run home run for Anyssa Iliopoulos tied up the game, 3-3 in the bottom of the frame.
Sweeney kept it a tied game with a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth. However, in the top of the fifth the Huskers used four runs on three hits and two RU errors to reclaim the lead at 7-3.
As the Rutgers bats hit a lull, senior Aubrie Levine entered in the top of the sixth, stranding a Nebraska runner on base. Levine also held the Huskers scoreless in the seventh.
RU tacked on a run in the bottom of the seventh. However, it was not enough to rally a final inning comeback.
GAME TWO
Although RU jumped to an 8-1 lead in the first inning, Nebraska came out with the win in a high scoring affair.
Freshman Taryn Atlee paced RU with a 4-for-5 performance with a career-best four runs as well as two RBIs. Senior Carly Todd added two hits and a team-best three RBIs. Sweeney suffered the loss in the circle.
Simmons led the Huskers again with a 5-for-5 performance at the plate, including a home run and three RBIs. Knighten followed with three hits, a home run and two RBIs. Sydney McLeod earned the win, while Jablonski picked up a save.
After UN generated a 1-0 edge in the first, RU claimed the lead with eight runs on six hits and an error in the bottom of the inning. Following a leadoff triple for Atlee, junior Sierra Maddox sent her home with a base hit. A two-RBI single for Todd would then give the Scarlet Knights the lead. Senior Bridget Carr sent in another run before Iliopoulos added her second homer of the day for a 5-1 RU advantage. An RBI double for Atlee and a Husker error set the RU lead at 8-1.
Nebraska responded with seven unanswered runs with a pair of two-run homers in the second and a three-run home run for Laura Barrow in the third to tie the score 8-8.
The Scarlet Knights pushed back in front 12-8 with a pair of runs in the both the third and fourth innings.
The Huskers' Simmons notched a three-run home run in the top of the fifth to bring the margin within one at 12-11. Nebraska then added another run in the top of the sixth, but Sweeney would close the frame with a strikeout to hold the score at 12-12.
In the bottom of the sixth, a Husker error and hit for sophomore Nicolette Anico put two runners on. However, the Scarlet Knights were unable to send in a run.
UN went on to rally three runs on four hits in the in the seventh. With the bases loaded, sophomore Whitney Jones induced a fly out to end the frame and send out the RU offense.
With two outs, Carr sent a long ball to center field. However, Nebraska's Simmons snagged the ball from going over the fence to seal the win for the Huskers.
UP NEXT
Rutgers and Nebraska meet for the series finale. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. ET on BTN Plus.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Anyssa Iliopoulos brought her career home run total to three with two homers on the day. Iliopoulos has added a home run in three straight contests.
- Taryn Atlee matched her career-high for the second time this season with four hits in game two. Atlee also posted four hits in RU's 7-5 win over Indiana. The performance included the fourth triple of her career, as she now ranks tied for eight on RU's single-season records list.
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-
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sydney McLeod (1-4)
L: Sweeney, Shayla (8-11)
S: Kaylan Jablonski (2)
Batting:
2B: Alyvia Simmons 2 ; MJ Knighten 1
HR: Alyvia Simmons 1 ; MJ Knighten 1 ; Laura Barrow 1 ; Alexis Perry 1 ; Bri Cassidy 1
RBI: Alyvia Simmons 3 ; MJ Knighten 2 ; Tristen Edwards 2 ; Kaylan Jablonski 1 ; Laura Barrow 4 ; Alexis Perry 1 ; Bri Cassidy 2
SF: Laura Barrow 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Alyvia Simmons 4 ; MJ Knighten 2 ; Tristen Edwards 1 ; Bree Boruff 1 ; Taylor Otte 1 ; Laura Barrow 2 ; Alexis Perry 1 ; Gina Metzler 1 ; Bri Cassidy 2
Batting:
2B: Atlee, Taryn 1
3B: Atlee, Taryn 1
HR: Iliopoulos, Anyssa 1
RBI: Atlee, Taryn 2 ; Maddox, Sierra 2 ; Todd, Carly 3 ; Carr, Bridget 1 ; Iliopoulos, Anyssa 2
SH: Anico, Nicolette 1
SF: Todd, Carly 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Atlee, Taryn 4 ; Bowman, Nicole 2 ; Hall, Rebecca 1 ; Maddox, Sierra 1 ; Carr, Bridget 1 ; Iliopoulos, Anyssa 1 ; Hoklotubbe, Hailey 2
SB: Bowman, Nicole 1
