ANN ARBOR, Mich. (April 13, 2018) – Rutgers softball (17-21, 2-7 B1G) dropped both ends of a Big Ten doubleheader at No. 17/16 Michigan (35-7, 10-1) by the scores of 11-1 and 9-2 on Friday evening.
 
Game 1 | Michigan 11, Rutgers 1 (5 inn.)
Rutgers struck first against the nation's wins leader, freshman Meghan Beaubien, in its first at-bats. Hall's RBI double down the right field line came after an eight-pitch battle and scored sophomore left fielder Hailey Hoklotubbe, who worked a one-out walk in the previous plate appearance. The run against Beaubien was just the third allowed by the sensational rookie over her last eight appearances dating back to March 28.
 
Michigan had a quick and powerful answer in the bottom of the first inning with a grand slam home run to take a 4-1 lead. The Wolverines tacked on two more in the third as Beaubien settled down. Freshman reliever Taryn Collins did some settling of her own, getting the next six outs while allowing just one baserunner via walk in two scoreless innings.
 
The Wolverines ended the game in the fifth inning by invoking the run-rule on a three-run home run with two outs on the board.
 
Game 2 | Michigan 9, Rutgers 2
Junior starting pitcher Whitney Jones attacked a hot-hitting lineup head on in Game 2, posting a scoreless first before Michigan strung four hits together in the second for an early 3-0 lead.
 
Rutgers broke through against Michigan starter Tera Blanco with its first hit in the fourth inning, a hard-hit grounder up the middle off the bat of Hoklotubbe, who also ended up manufacturing a run with some aggressive base running. On a deep foul out by Hall that caused the Michigan right fielder to crash into the wall, Hoklotubbe tagged up and took second base. That set her up to score on sophomore right fielder Nicole Bowman's RBI single, struck with the right amount of pace to allow Hoklotubbe to slide just past the tag of a diving Wolverine catcher.
 
Junior shortstop Jess Hughes added an RBI single in the fifth inning, scoring sophomore Anyssa Iliopoulos on an obstruction call at the plate. Iliopoulos had doubled to lead off the inning. Two runs would be the closest Rutgers would get as Michigan responded with a four-spot in the fifth and another score in the sixth.
 
UP NEXT
Rutgers and Michigan will attempt to conclude the three-game series on Saturday, April 14 at 2 p.m., weather permitting.
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• Hall's double marked No. 46 of her career, which ties her for second place all-time at Rutgers with Michelle Nikolayew (1993-96). On the same play, a run scored to give Hall 135 career RBIs, which gives her sole possession of third place in the RU record book.
• Hoklotubbe reached base safely in both games, going 1-for-5 with a walk and two runs scored.
• Michigan improves to 15-0 all-time over Rutgers and 11-0 in the Big Ten.

 
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