EVANSTON, Ill. (March 22, 2019) – Rutgers softball (15-12, 0-1) fell in the 2019 Big Ten Conference opener at Northwestern (20-6, 1-0) by a five-inning score of 8-0 at Drysdale Field on Friday evening.
 
Junior third baseman Anyssa Iliopoulos picked up a hit, and freshman second baseman Aleah Marra added her first Big Ten base knock with a double in the fifth inning. The Scarlet Knights could not push a run across, however, facing two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week Danielle Williams in her two-hit complete-game win.
 
Rutgers played from behind early after the Wildcats hit a pair of solo home runs in the bottom of the first inning. Northwestern added two unearned runs in the third following an error in the field, then capped the victory with a grand slam in the fourth.
 
The Scarlet Knights look to rebound for Game 2 on Saturday, March 23 at 2 p.m. ET.
 
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