Friday, March 30
Piscataway, N.J.
3 PM
Rutgers University
vs
Penn State
Softball Hosts Penn State in 2018 Home Opener
Mar 29 | Softball
Nittany Lions come to Piscataway for three-game Big Ten series
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (March 29, 2018) - After 30 games away from Piscataway, Rutgers softball begins its 2018 home schedule with a three-game Big Ten series against Penn State from March 30 - April 1 at the RU Softball Complex.
FOLLOW LIVE
Live Stats | Watch on BTN+ | Twitter | Instagram
HEAD-TO-HEAD
KNIGHT NOTES
• Senior first baseman Rebecca Hall is ranked among the best hitters in the nation and the Big Ten. Hall leads the Big Ten in triples (6), while coming in second in total bases (74), third in RBIs (29) and fourth in hits (40). By the numbers ... 3 hits away from No. 200 ... 17 RBIs needed for Hall to set a new program career record ... 10 doubles needed to set a new school record ... 6 triples currently ranks third in the NCAA... 74 total bases ranks 28th in the NCAA.
• Through games played on Tuesday, March 27, Rutgers softball leads NCAA Division I in turning double plays at 0.87 per contest, posting 26 in 30 games. The double plays have benefited four different pitchers in the circle this season, with innings leader Whitney Jones pacing the group with 11. Eighteen of the plays came with one out already on the board, hence ending the inning. Hall has been in on 21 doubles plays, followed by 10 from freshman second baseman Myah Moy and nine from junior shortstop Jess Hughes.
• Following the NCAA's first RPI report of the season, comparing the numbers shows a burgeoning turnaround for the Scarlet Knights. Ranked at 101 in the RPI, Rutgers is 96 points higher than this time last season, and 44 spots better than the previous three years' average (150) at this time of the year. RU has a win over an RPI Top 50 team (Houston) for the first time since 2012, and has seven wins over RPI Top 100 teams this year, one less than the last four years combined.
• Junior shortstop Jess Hughes is riding a season-high 11-game hit streak while hitting .425 over that span and getting on-base at a .521 clip. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 23 runs scored.
• Rutgers played the longest game in program history on Wednesday, March 15, a 5-4 victory in 15 innings and three hours and 15 minutes at Florida Atlantic. Myah Moy was 4-for-7 with her first career home run and the game-winning run, which was driven home by another rookie, Erin Collins. Whitney Jones got the win after a gutsy 12-inning relief effort, stamped by a game-ending K.
TRENDING
• Rutgers is 11-0 when scoring six or more runs in a contest.
• The Scarlet Knights are 10-0 when leading after four innings.
• RU's most productive inning has been the final scheduled frame, with 24 runs scored in the seventh inning.
• Rebecca Hall and Jess Hughes have each reached base safely in 11 straight games.
• Rebecca Hall has 13 of Rutgers' 42 multi-hit performances this season.
• Rutgers is 25-for-29 in stolen base attempts and has stolen a base in 11 of its last 17 games.
• The Scarlet Knights are 12-2 when scoring first, and 3-13 when the opponent does.
• Four of Rutgers' 12 wins have been in come-from-behind fashion when trailing after five innings.
• Rutgers has hit a home run in 11-of-15 wins.
HALL OF GAME
Rebecca Hall was named to the 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Great Lakes Region First Team following her breakout junior season.
The momentum has rolled into 2018. Hall moved up the RU record book in a few categories. With 26 RBIs, she now ranks fourth with 126 career ribbies. She ranks sixth all-time with 190 career hits, her seven doubles place her fifth all-time with 42, and her six triples moved her into sixth place with nine career three-baggers.
This season she has 13 multi-hit games, eight multi-RBI contests and carries a streak of 11 straight games reaching base safely.
HUGHES COMES HOME
Junior and Sewell, New Jersey native Jess Hughes transferred in from Fordham and earned the starting nod at shortstop. Hughes set a Fordham record for OBP (.510) in 2017. She hit .370 for the Rams with 12 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs en route to NFCA All-Region, All-ECAC and All-Atlantic 10 honors. She ranked 15th in the nation with 0.87 walks per game and 18th with six triples.
BOOMING BACKSTOP
Senior catcher Sierra Maddox's role calling games and protecting the plate is vital, as is her bat in the middle of Rutgers' lineup. She has driven in 13 runs this season while getting on base at a .345 clip. Maddox has thrown out eight would-be base stealers from behind the plate and sports a .978 fielding percentage.
RUTGERS RECRUITS
Jay Nelson welcomes 10 newcomers to the squad in 2018, including nine first-years.
Myah Moy has played in all 30 games (29 starts at second base) and leads the freshmen with 26 hits. She hit in all five games at FAU's tournament on March 9-11, batting 6-for-14 in Boca Raton with two RBIs. She also hit her first career home run in extra innings and scored the eventual game-winning run in the 15-inning, 5-4, victory at FAU.
Moy was responsible for 17 outs in the field in the 15-inning affair at FAU with 10 putouts and seven assists without an error. She has been in on 10 double plays in 2018.
BOWMAN BREAKS OUT
Nicole Bowman was named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team by batting 5-for-11 with a walk, including a 2-for-2 mark in the win over Houston. The sophomore accounted for 39 of Rutgers' 97 hits by rookies last year. Bowman slashed .275/.393/.437 as a freshman with three home runs, 12 doubles and 34 RBIs.
She drove in a career-high four RBIs in the win against North Dakota, including a two-run home run to dead center, her fifth career dinger.
After missing the first four games of the Bear Classic at Mercer due to illness, Bowman returned for the finale and made up for lost time with a three-run, game-tying home run in the third inning, part of a four-RBI game. The sophomore has a hit in 10 of her last 12 games to raise her average to .263.
UP NEXT
Rutgers hosts St. Joseph's in its first midweek home game of the season on Wednesday, April 4 at 4 p.m. at the RU Softball Complex.
| THE SLATE | All Times Eastern | |||
| Fri. 3/30 | vs. Penn State | 3 p.m. | Free Pizza | T-Shirt Giveaway (100) |
| Sat. 3/31 | vs. Penn State | 1 p.m. | |
| Sun. 4/1 | vs. Penn State | 12 p.m. | Candy Giveaway |
FOLLOW LIVE
Live Stats | Watch on BTN+ | Twitter | Instagram
HEAD-TO-HEAD
KNIGHT NOTES
• Senior first baseman Rebecca Hall is ranked among the best hitters in the nation and the Big Ten. Hall leads the Big Ten in triples (6), while coming in second in total bases (74), third in RBIs (29) and fourth in hits (40). By the numbers ... 3 hits away from No. 200 ... 17 RBIs needed for Hall to set a new program career record ... 10 doubles needed to set a new school record ... 6 triples currently ranks third in the NCAA... 74 total bases ranks 28th in the NCAA.
• Through games played on Tuesday, March 27, Rutgers softball leads NCAA Division I in turning double plays at 0.87 per contest, posting 26 in 30 games. The double plays have benefited four different pitchers in the circle this season, with innings leader Whitney Jones pacing the group with 11. Eighteen of the plays came with one out already on the board, hence ending the inning. Hall has been in on 21 doubles plays, followed by 10 from freshman second baseman Myah Moy and nine from junior shortstop Jess Hughes.
• Following the NCAA's first RPI report of the season, comparing the numbers shows a burgeoning turnaround for the Scarlet Knights. Ranked at 101 in the RPI, Rutgers is 96 points higher than this time last season, and 44 spots better than the previous three years' average (150) at this time of the year. RU has a win over an RPI Top 50 team (Houston) for the first time since 2012, and has seven wins over RPI Top 100 teams this year, one less than the last four years combined.
• Junior shortstop Jess Hughes is riding a season-high 11-game hit streak while hitting .425 over that span and getting on-base at a .521 clip. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 23 runs scored.
• Rutgers played the longest game in program history on Wednesday, March 15, a 5-4 victory in 15 innings and three hours and 15 minutes at Florida Atlantic. Myah Moy was 4-for-7 with her first career home run and the game-winning run, which was driven home by another rookie, Erin Collins. Whitney Jones got the win after a gutsy 12-inning relief effort, stamped by a game-ending K.
TRENDING
• Rutgers is 11-0 when scoring six or more runs in a contest.
• The Scarlet Knights are 10-0 when leading after four innings.
• RU's most productive inning has been the final scheduled frame, with 24 runs scored in the seventh inning.
• Rebecca Hall and Jess Hughes have each reached base safely in 11 straight games.
• Rebecca Hall has 13 of Rutgers' 42 multi-hit performances this season.
• Rutgers is 25-for-29 in stolen base attempts and has stolen a base in 11 of its last 17 games.
• The Scarlet Knights are 12-2 when scoring first, and 3-13 when the opponent does.
• Four of Rutgers' 12 wins have been in come-from-behind fashion when trailing after five innings.
• Rutgers has hit a home run in 11-of-15 wins.
HALL OF GAME
Rebecca Hall was named to the 2017 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division I All-Great Lakes Region First Team following her breakout junior season.
The momentum has rolled into 2018. Hall moved up the RU record book in a few categories. With 26 RBIs, she now ranks fourth with 126 career ribbies. She ranks sixth all-time with 190 career hits, her seven doubles place her fifth all-time with 42, and her six triples moved her into sixth place with nine career three-baggers.
This season she has 13 multi-hit games, eight multi-RBI contests and carries a streak of 11 straight games reaching base safely.
HUGHES COMES HOME
Junior and Sewell, New Jersey native Jess Hughes transferred in from Fordham and earned the starting nod at shortstop. Hughes set a Fordham record for OBP (.510) in 2017. She hit .370 for the Rams with 12 doubles, six triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBIs en route to NFCA All-Region, All-ECAC and All-Atlantic 10 honors. She ranked 15th in the nation with 0.87 walks per game and 18th with six triples.
BOOMING BACKSTOP
Senior catcher Sierra Maddox's role calling games and protecting the plate is vital, as is her bat in the middle of Rutgers' lineup. She has driven in 13 runs this season while getting on base at a .345 clip. Maddox has thrown out eight would-be base stealers from behind the plate and sports a .978 fielding percentage.
RUTGERS RECRUITS
Jay Nelson welcomes 10 newcomers to the squad in 2018, including nine first-years.
Myah Moy has played in all 30 games (29 starts at second base) and leads the freshmen with 26 hits. She hit in all five games at FAU's tournament on March 9-11, batting 6-for-14 in Boca Raton with two RBIs. She also hit her first career home run in extra innings and scored the eventual game-winning run in the 15-inning, 5-4, victory at FAU.
Moy was responsible for 17 outs in the field in the 15-inning affair at FAU with 10 putouts and seven assists without an error. She has been in on 10 double plays in 2018.
BOWMAN BREAKS OUT
Nicole Bowman was named to the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge All-Tournament Team by batting 5-for-11 with a walk, including a 2-for-2 mark in the win over Houston. The sophomore accounted for 39 of Rutgers' 97 hits by rookies last year. Bowman slashed .275/.393/.437 as a freshman with three home runs, 12 doubles and 34 RBIs.
She drove in a career-high four RBIs in the win against North Dakota, including a two-run home run to dead center, her fifth career dinger.
After missing the first four games of the Bear Classic at Mercer due to illness, Bowman returned for the finale and made up for lost time with a three-run, game-tying home run in the third inning, part of a four-RBI game. The sophomore has a hit in 10 of her last 12 games to raise her average to .263.
UP NEXT
Rutgers hosts St. Joseph's in its first midweek home game of the season on Wednesday, April 4 at 4 p.m. at the RU Softball Complex.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
2025 Rutgers Athletics Hall Of Fame Induction
Tuesday, December 16
Rutgers Athletics Launches the Athletic Excellence Fund
Monday, October 06
2025 Rutgers Softball Big Ten Highlights
Friday, August 08
R Fund, Knights of the Raritan are YouKnighted | Million Dollar Match
Friday, February 28
