EAST LANSING, Mich. (April 28, 2018) – Rutgers softball dropped Game 2 of a three-game Big Ten series at Michigan State by a 9-2 count on Saturday afternoon.
 
Sophomore right fielder Nicole Bowman paced the Scarlet Knights (17-29, 2-14) with a 2-for-3 day at the plate and a run scored. The Spartans (20-24, 6-11) used three home runs and two runs scored in each of the third through sixth innings to clinch the conference series.
 
Sparty scored first with an unearned run on a sac fly in the bottom of the first as freshman starting pitcher Taylor Manno ended the opening frame with a strikeout. MSU got another unearned run in the bottom of the third as part of a two-run frame to lead 3-0.
 
Hitless for two innings and scoreless for three against MSU starter Bridgette Rainey, the Scarlet Knights broke through in the fourth with four hits. Freshman second baseman Myah Moy led it off with a double, followed immediately by sophomore right fielder Nicole Bowman's single off the pitcher's leg.
 
Sophomore designated player Anyssa Iliopoulos put up Rutgers' first run on an RBI groundout to short. Freshman left fielder Madyson Cole beat out an infield single to set up runners on first and third for senior catcher Sierra Maddox, who placed a perfect bunt down the first base line and hustled down the line for an RBI single to cut the MSU lead to 3-2.
 
The Spartans had a quick answer to RU's fourth inning with back-to-back home runs to lead off the bottom half of the frame for the 5-2 lead. MSU hit their third home run in the fifth, a two-run job for a 7-2 advantage, before getting two more in the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Scarlet Knights and Spartans will conclude the series on Sunday, April 29 at 1 p.m. from Secchia Stadium.
 
KNIGHT NOTES

• Sophomore left fielder Hailey Hoklotubbe continues to extend both streaks with nine consecutive games with a hit and 16 straight reaching base safely.
   

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