MIAMI, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2019) – Rutgers softball split a pair of one-run games at the FIU Panther Invitational on Saturday, topping Columbia 3-2 before a tight 4-3 loss to host Florida International in the nightcap at Felsberg Field.
EARLY OFFENSE ENOUGH FOR TWO-HITTER VS. COLUMBIA
QUICK PITCH
Junior
Anyssa Iliopoulos drove home two runs and scored in the top of the first inning for a 3-0 lead, which held up for two brilliant pitching performances in a combined two-hitter. Senior
Whitney Jones got her fourth win of the season, while freshman
Corah Price locked down her first collegiate save with a perfect final two frames.
"I was proud of our pitchers being ready to go at a moment's notice, and loved that we scored first and scored early," said head coach
Kristen Butler. "That's always the goal."
STANDOUT STATS
- Jones went five strong with two hits and two walks allowed to go with two strikeouts. Both hits surrendered with solo home runs to account for her two earned runs.
- Price retired six straight to end the game and struck out three.
- Iliopoulos was 1-for-3 with a two-run double and a stolen base that led directly to Rutgers' decisive third run.
THE RUNDOWN
- The damage was done in the very first frame. Hughes led off the game with a base hit and promptly stole second. Freshman second baseman Aleah Marra followed with a bunted base hit with backspin that stopped right in front of the plate. Iliopoulos chased them both home with a scorched double to dead center.
- On Iliopoulos' swipe of third base, the throw sailed into the outfield and the Rutgers junior scurried home for an important insurance run.
- Columbia got on the board in the second with a solo home run, and cut its deficit to one run in the fourth on another solo shot.
- Jones settled down nicely after each homer and posted 1-2-3 innings in the first, third and fifth.
- Price entered after a leadoff walk to start the sixth and sat down six in a row.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Ten of Iliopoulos' first 12 hits of the season have gone for extra bases, including her sixth double of the year against Columbia. She entered the weekend ranked 12th in the nation in doubles.
- Rutgers has scored first in five of its six wins.
RUTGERS' EARLY LEAD AND LATE COMEBACK CAN'T STOP FIU
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Senior shortstop
Jess Hughes and freshman catcher
Katie Wingert hit solo home runs for an early 2-0 lead, but the Panthers hung a crooked number in the fifth, taking a 4-2 lead on a three-run home run. Rutgers got one back in the final frame before FIU escaped with the one-run win at home.
"Moving forward, we're really talking about how to eliminate these big innings," Butler said. "Our pitchers performed well today, it was just one inning that did us in. We also always want to score in the seventh inning, and we did that tonight. The pitchers did a good job keeping us in the game and
Katie Wingert had a fantastic game with the bat and with her arm."
STANDOUT STATS
- Sophomore Erin Collins added the only other hit on top of Hughes' and Wingert's homers.
- Jones came on in relief in the sixth inning and pitched the final 1.1 frames without allowing a run, surrendering a walk and a hit.
- Defensively, Wingert recorded a pickoff at first base and a caught stealing at second from behind the plate.
THE RUNDOWN
- Hughes led off the game with her third home run of the season, lining a 3-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for the 1-0 lead.
- Wingert followed suit in the second, leading off the frame with her third dinger of the year. Wingert's shot came on a full count and sailed right over the left field foul pole. When it landed, the Scarlet Knights led 2-0.
- FIU came storming back with four hits, two walks and a big three-run home run to take a 4-2 lead against Price, the starting pitcher.
- Rutgers loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh. FIU got a clutch force out at home, but threw the ball away attempting a double play, which got Rutgers within one run at 4-3. The rally stopped there as the Panthers got a strikeout, then ended the game as Rutgers tried to score on a wild pitch at home plate.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Hughes has hit in four straight and sits one hit away from No. 200 for her career.
UP NEXT
The FIU Panther Invitational concludes on Sunday, Feb. 24 with Rutgers facing Monmouth at 9 a.m.
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