PISCATAWAY, N.J. (May 4, 2018) – The Force was with Rutgers softball on Friday during a doubleheader sweep over Indiana, 3-0 and 5-4, at the RU Softball Complex to deliver a New Hope for making the 2018 Big Ten Tournament.
 
The Scarlet Knights (19-30, 4-15) received a pair of complete-game wins from starting pitchers Whitney Jones and Taylor Manno, seniors Rebecca Hall and Sierra Maddox hit home runs in the top of the seventh inning for the only scoring in Game 1, and freshman Myah Moy hit the walk-off winner in the bottom of the seventh of Game 2.
 
"Just play, have fun, and enjoy the game," Moy said on the team's mentality in the pulse-pounding final inning. "We have been building throughout the season and we were due to break the ice. We had each other's back and today helped us take a large step in building confidence and growing as a team."
 
The Hoosiers (24-29, 16-6) scored two runs in the top of the seventh in Game 2 to tie the game at 4-4 and force Rutgers' need for a walk-off win in the home half of the final inning. Moy's walk-off hit was Rutgers' first since Maddox's heroics against Michigan State on April 29, 2017.
 
Hall hit her 30^th career home run to give Rutgers a 1-0 lead in the top of the seventh of Game 1, part of a 4-for-7, two-RBI doubleheader for the senior. Maddox's two-run round-tripper was the 23^rd of her career as Hall and Maddox continue to rank second and third, respectively, for career home runs at Rutgers.
 
Hall and Maddox's seventh inning homers were in support of a statement game pitched by junior Whitney Jones, who recorded her third career complete-game shutout with six strikeouts. Jones allowed four hits and four walks over seven innings, and struck out the Hoosiers' two-hole hitter to end the game with the bases loaded.
 
"We pulled together as a team," said Jones, who wins her ninth game of the year in the circle. "We all embraced the roles we were asked to play and came to the field ready to play. We were challenged throughout, but we tough enough to have each other's backs and earn two team wins. Today is a great day to be a Scarlet Knight!"
 
Freshman Taylor Manno picked up where Jones left off, posting two scoreless frames before Indiana took a 2-0 lead in the third. Rutgers tied it in the fifth on Hall's RBI single and a blooping RBI infield single off the bat of Moy. Senior Meaghan Wells singled with one out to start the rally.
 
Sophomore Anyssa Iliopoulos added a booming two-run double to give Rutgers a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning of Game 2, her second hit of the doubleheader.
 
After Indiana scored its two runs in the third, Manno retired 11 of the next 12 batters into the seventh inning, only allowing a walk. In the seventh and down to its final two outs, Indiana got a bloop and a blast to tie the game at 4-4.
 
Sophomore Hailey Hoklotubbe set the tone in the fateful seventh inning in Game 2, leading off with a tailing single down the left field line. Hall followed with a lined double down that same left field line, advancing Hoklotubbe to third with nobody out for Moy.
 
Moy served a 1-0 pitch into right center field to plate Hoklotubbe and the celebration was on. Manno picked up the first win of her collegiate career, surrendering four hits and five walks in her seven innings of work with three strikeouts.
 
Rutgers improves to 9-6 overall against Indiana all-time dating back to 1977, and 8-3 as opponents in the Big Ten since 2015.
 
The Scarlet Knights and the Hoosiers will conclude the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. from the RU Softball Complex with plenty of playoff implications on the line. The Big Ten Tournament picture for Rutgers remains unclear as the entire Friday schedule will be played in the evening, but as it stands, Rutgers is tied with Purdue for the 12^th and final spot with matching 4-15 records. However, Purdue has three games to play against Iowa this weekend, while Rutgers only has one game remaining.
 

@RUSoftball is just the 3rd Big Ten team to beat @IndianaSB in conference this season, and they do it twice in one day! Our crew recaps the doubleheader from Piscataway! pic.twitter.com/5nP7qZwFiR

— BTN Student U (@BTNStudentU) May 4, 2018

T5 | Nicolette Anico lays out for the webgem in center!

Indiana 2, #RUSB 0 pic.twitter.com/NcrDP60kEO

— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) May 4, 2018

B5 | ILIOPOULOS HAS POP!

Anyssa rips a two-run double to left and #RUSB leads it 4-2! pic.twitter.com/uTXuenIXPD

— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) May 4, 2018

 

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