PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (Feb. 17, 2018) – Rutgers softball earned a split on its final day at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge on Saturday, falling to No. 15/18 Ole Miss before a comeback 4-3 victory over 2017 American Athletic Conference champion Houston in extra innings.
Senior first baseman
Rebecca Hall, sophomore designated player
Nicole Bowman and sophomore pitcher
Cambria Keefer were named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team.
HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM WITH HALL IN EXTRA INNINGS
Making her first career start behind the plate against Houston, freshman catcher
Christine Malito tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the seventh as her first collegiate hit went down as an RBI single up the middle – keeping the Scarlet Knights (3-6) alive against the Cougars (4-3) in the final inning. Keefer earned her first collegiate win by shutting Houston down in the bottom of the seventh, setting up Hall's heroics in the top of the eighth.
Junior shortstop
Jess Hughes put Rutgers ahead 2-1 with a sac fly, which scored freshman
Myah Moy, who was placed on second to start the inning per the international tiebreaker rule. With junior outfielder
Nicolette Anico on base via single, Hall launched her second home run of the season just inside the foul pole down the right field line to put RU up 4-1.
The Cougars got a run back and went on to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth, but Keefer finished what she started. The sophomore starter allowed a sac fly to make it 4-3, but needed just one more out to notch her first career win. Keefer coaxed a popup to shallow left field, where freshman
Madyson Cole held on to clinch the victory.
"This win was inspiring not only because of the way we won coming from behind in the last inning and winning it in extra innings, but also because it was a win that everyone contributed to," said head coach
Jay Nelson. "We used a lot of athletes in the game to play the roles of pinch running and hitting. The bench energy was amazing and it was a very positive influence felt by everyone playing. We are looking to carry this attitude into our next tournament and pick up where we left off."
Highlighting the box score, Anico joined Hall in the multi-hit department against Houston as both batted 2-for-4 with a run scored apiece. Bowman notched her fifth hit of the tournament, and Keefer completed eight innings and faced 35 batters without issuing a single walk in 102 pitches.
REBELS RIDE EARLY LEAD TO WIN
Hall accounted for Rutgers' lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning in a 9-1 loss in six innings against nationally ranked Ole Miss. Bowman went 2-for-2, while Anico, Hughes and freshman
Erin Collins added hits at the top of the lineup against the Rebels.
Ole Miss scored twice in the top of the first and built a 7-0 advantage before Hall's RBI in the fifth. The Rebel lead could have been larger if it were not for diving catches in the outfield by left fielder Anico and right fielder Collins.
K
NIGHT NOTES
- Bowman earned an All-Tournament nod by hitting 5-for-11 (.455) over the weekend with a walk for a .500 on-base percentage.
- Cole and Malito earned their first career starts in left field and catcher, respectively.
- Malito's first career hit went down as a game-tying RBI single in the top of the seventh inning against Houston.
- With three RBIs on Saturday, Hall moved into a fifth-place tie all-time at Rutgers for career RBIs with 109. She also hit the 24th home run of her career, which continues to rank third all-time.
- Keefer's eight-inning complete game just about doubled her previous career-high for innings pitched at 4.1 against Fullerton early this season.
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