COLLEGE PARK, Md. (April 17, 2018) – Rutgers softball (17-23, 2-9) suffered a sweep at the hands of Maryland on Tuesday evening in a doubleheader on Big Ten Network, falling 5-3 in Game 1 before the Terrapins (18-27, 7-7) walked off in Game 2 with an 8-7 victory after erasing a six-run deficit.
 
Freshman second baseman Myah Moy paced the offense in the opener, going 2-for-3 with her second career home run and two total RBIs. Junior shortstop Jess Hughes batted 2-for-3 with a run in the nightcap, while sophomore center fielder Hailey Hoklotobbe and senior third baseman Meaghan Wells each posted two RBIs.
 
Game 1 | Maryland 5, Rutgers 3
Rutgers and Maryland went punch-for-punch in the opening inning with Moy driving home sophomore left fielder Hailey Hoklotubbe, who hit a one-out double off a diving left fielder's glove. The Terps, however, answered against junior starting pitcher Whitney Jones in the bottom half after a walk and a sac bunt set up an RBI single.
 
Maryland threated to take the lead in the bottom of the second by putting runners on second and third and no outs with a single and a double to start the frame and chase Jones from the game. Freshman Taylor Manno entered and coaxed two popouts on two pitches before getting a third to escape the inning unscathed.
 
Moy's second RBI traveled much farther than her first. The Rutgers rookie deposited a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to lead off the fourth inning and put RU up 2-1. Yet again, the Terrapins had an answer in the bottom half with a run on three hits.
 
Maryland took its first lead in the fifth and put some distance on it with three scores on three hits.
 
With some life late, Rutgers got one back in the seventh as sophomore designated player Anyssa Iliopoulos and senior catcher Sierra Maddox laced back-to-back singles to left field before freshman pinch hitter Erin Collins drew a walk to load the bases. With two outs and a full count, junior shortstop Jess Hughes drew a bases-loaded walk for the RBI, but the comeback was squashed on the next at-bat.
 
Game 2 | Maryland 8, Rutgers 7
Hughes opened the game by singling off the infield lip heading into right and trucked into third base after the right fielder misplayed the grounder. Two batters later, Hall reached on a fielder's choice and scored Hughes for the RBI and the 1-0 lead.
 
Again, it didn't take the Terps long to answer. With runners on first and third and just one out, sophomore starter Cambria Keefer got a clutch strikeout, but ultimately surrendered a run-scoring single before getting out of the frame.
 
The Scarlet Knights took control of the lead in the top of the fifth when a pair of walks set runners in scoring position for senior second baseman Meaghan Wells, who crushed a double to deep center field for the 2-1 advantage. RU loaded the bases with two outs, but couldn't score again.
 
Rutgers' 31^st double play of the year was a unique one as they executed the 5-4 putout on a sacrifice bunt, then threw to Maddox covering third as a runner tried to advance. Keefer then got the flyout to end the inning.
 
The Scarlet Knights bought plenty of insurance in the top of the sixth as Hall, Moy and Collins all singled to load the bases with no outs. Maryland got a putout at home before sophomore right fielder Nicole Bowman drew a bases-loaded walk, Wells grounded into an RBI fielder's choice, and freshman Christine Malito ripped a two-out, pinch-hit single to put RU up 5-1.
 
Hoklotubbe added a two-run single up the middle to provide the 7-1 cushion.
 
The extra runs weren't enough as Maryland once again had a resounding response, getting six hits and a reach on error, capped by a game-tying, three-run home run to tie the contest at 7-7. Rutgers used three different pitchers in the inning.
 
Rutgers went down in order in the seventh before Maryland used a leadoff double and walk-off single with one out to sweep the doubleheader.
 
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights head home to host Northwestern in a three-game Big Ten series from Friday through Sunday, April 20-22 at the RU Softball Complex.
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• Hoklotubbe extended her team-high reached base safely streak to 10 straight games with a hit in both ends of the doubleheader on Tuesday. She is hitting .296 and getting on base at a .387 clip over that span.
• Hoklotubbe, Moy and Wells picked up hits in each end of the doubleheader.
• Hall's RBI in Game 2 gave her 136 for her career, while sitting 10 away from setting a new school record with 11 regular season games to play.
• The Scarlet Knights turned their 31^st double of the season to lead the Big Ten and rank second in the nation.
• Maryland evened the all-time series 5-5 and cut Rutgers' lead to 5-3 in Big Ten games.

 
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