COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 5, 2019) – Rutgers softball (16-18, 0-7) dropped a defensive Big Ten battle, 2-0, to RV/RV Ohio State (22-10, 6-1) on Friday evening at Buckeye Field.
QUICK PITCH
- Both teams' fielders shined early as a defense duel took shape, but it was the Buckeyes who broke through first in the bottom of the fifth inning for a pair of runs. That was all the offense OSU pitchers Lauren Rice and Morgan Ray got – and needed – as the Buckeyes posted their ninth shutout of the year.
STANDOUT STATS
- Freshman second baseman Aleah Marra, junior third baseman Anyssa Iliopoulos and freshman catcher Katie Wingert had the hits for Rutgers, with Wingert adding a walk.
- Senior pitcher Whitney Jones produced a quality start, scattering nine hits over six innings with just one walk.
THE RUNDOWN
- The Rutgers defense helped Jones keep the game scoreless through the first four innings. Senior shortstop Jess Hughes took a 6-6-3 double play herself in the second inning before back-to-back diving catches in the outfield by sophomore Erin Collins and junior Hailey Hoklotubbe in the third.
- Ohio State's offense came in the fifth inning with two runs on three hits, including a seeing-eye, bloop single to center field that dunked in between three Scarlet Knight fielders.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Iliopoulos was at the center of the standout defensive effort, recording a career-high five assists.
- Rutgers posted an errorless Big Ten game for the second time this season.
- Hughes ran her reached base safely streak to seven straight games.
UP NEXT
Game 2 at Ohio State is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (
www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (
@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers softball, follow the program on Twitter (
@RUSoftball) and Instagram (
@ru_softball). The team is also on Facebook (
facebook.com/RutgersSB). For additional updates, please download the
Gameday App.
- RU -
