UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (April 13, 2019) – Rutgers softball (20-19, 4-8) used shutdown pitching and timely power to score 3-0 and 5-3 wins over Penn State (20-24, 4-10) in a Saturday doubleheader to sweep the Big Ten series at the Nittany Lions Softball Park and Beard Field.
 
The Scarlet Knights sweep a Big Ten series for the first time since taking three against Indiana at home April 22-24, 2016. This is Rutgers' third Big Ten series sweep since joining the conference in 2015. It's the first sweep against Penn State as Big Ten opponents.

Now at 20 wins on the season, Rutgers has already surpassed last season's win total with 12 regular season games to play.

Catch up with Corah Price and head coach Kristen Butler, who break down the #RUSB sweep of Penn State. pic.twitter.com/JxB2loAzjm

— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) April 14, 2019

PRICE FIRES ONE-HITTER TO CLINCH SERIES WIN

 
QUICK PITCH

• Freshman starting pitcher Corah Price turned in a masterpiece, facing the minimum in a one-hitter. The rookie posted her second complete-game shutout, and her first seven-inning clean sheet. Senior shortstop Jess Hughes was at the center of all three Rutgers runs, stealing a base and scoring the first, then driving in two in the fourth inning for the 3-0 lead.

STANDOUT STATS

• Price needed just 71 pitches to pitch her one-hitter. She allowed a hit in the third inning and didn't walk or strikeout anyone.
• Hughes, junior right fielder Anyssa Iliopoulos and freshman second baseman Aleah Marra had the hits for Rutgers.

THE RUNDOWN

• Price's rise ball was on point early as the freshman got five flyouts and a popout through two perfect innings to start the game.
• Hughes manufactured Rutgers' first run by stealing third after reaching on an error, then scored on another Penn State miscue as the attempt to throw her out sailed into the left field, allowing Hughes to fly home on a sprawling slide under the tag for the 1-0 lead.
• Rutgers loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, with freshman second baseman Aleah Marra getting a single and senior center fielder Nicolette Anico and senior Allie Yoffee drawing walks. That set up a two-run single by Hughes up the middle as RU led 3-0.
• Price retired the final 13 Penn State batters in a row to end the game.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Price records Rutgers' first seven-inning one-hitter since Alyssa Landrith beat UTSA on Feb. 15, 2014.
• Hughes extended her reached-base safely streak to 11 straight games.
• Iliopoulos has hit in five straight.

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WINGERT POWERS RUTGERS TO BIG TEN SWEEP

 
QUICK PITCH

• Wingert hit a pair of dingers, including the go-ahead shot in the top of the sixth inning in support of Price in relief, as the rookie hurler won her 11^th contest of the season with four scoreless innings of two-hit softball.

STANDOUT STATS

• Wingert's monster game included a 3-for-4 mark at the plate, two homers and three RBIs.
• Hughes added a multi-hit game with both going for extra bases – a double and a triple – with a run scored.
• Marra (1-for-3) had her eighth double of the year for an RBI.
• Price pitched four scoreless innings in relief with two hits and a walk allowed, striking out two.

THE RUNDOWN

• Following a quiet two innings, the Rutgers bats exploded in the third. With two-outs, Hughes rocked a hit into the right-center field gap and legged out a triple. She scored as junior third baseman Anyssa Iliopoulos's popup was dropped in the infield near second base.
• With Iliopoulos on base, Wingert sent an 0-2 pitch over the left-center field wall in a hurry for the 3-0 lead.
• Penn State scored its first run of the day on a two-out RBI single following a single and a walk, all with two outs. They eventually tied the game on an RBI double and a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth.
• Price entered the game in the fourth with no outs and a runner on. The inherited runner scored, then Price sat down 12 of her final 15 assignments to win her second game of the day as her offense backed her up late.
• Wingert's second homer of the game was a powerful, go-ahead opposite field solo shot for the 4-3 lead. Bowman and Marra then went back-to-back with doubles to plate the 5-3 advantage.
• Price worked around a leadoff hit and a two-out walk in the seventh.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Rutgers sweeps a Big Ten series for the first time since taking three against Indiana at home April 22-24, 2016. This is Rutgers' third Big Ten series sweep since joining the conference in 2015.
• This marks the second time this season a Rutgers batter hit two home runs in a single game. Hughes did it on Feb. 10 against Army.
• Hughes extended her reached-base safely streak to 12 straight games.
• Wingert now has 10 games this season with multiple RBIs.

ON DECK
Rutgers returns home to host a three-game Big Ten series against Iowa from April 19-21 at the RU Softball Complex. The series opener on Friday is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
 
 
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