LYNCHBURG, Va. (May 16, 2019) – Rutgers softball topped Appalachian State, 2-1, in the opening round of the National Invitational Softball Championship before falling, 1-0, to host Liberty on Thursday afternoon and moving to the playback round.
The Scarlet Knights will take on Marshall on Friday, May 17 at 1 p.m. at Liberty's Kamphuis Field for the chance to stay alive in the double-elimination postseason tournament. The winner of that game will move on to face the winner of Appalachian State and the loser of tonight's George Washington-Kent State game at 7 p.m. on Friday.
In the Game 1 victory, freshman catcher
Katie Wingert hit a clutch, sixth-inning home run to open the scoring, and freshman second baseman
Aleah Marra singled home the eventual game-winner, also in the sixth. Those runs held up for senior starting pitcher
Whitney Jones, who won her 12
th decision of the season in a complete game with five hits, one run, a walk and a strikeout.
Wingert notched home run No. 18 on the year, while Marra drove in the 22
nd RBI of her freshman season.
Pitching was at the center of Game 2, with Liberty's Chase Cassady slightly outdueling freshman starting pitcher
Corah Price. Wingert, Marra, freshman
Penelope Russ and senior center fielder
Nicolette Anico managed hits, but Rutgers couldn't crack the run column against Cassady. Price, meanwhile, allowed a run on just three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six frames.
A bases-loaded walk for Liberty marked the only scoring of the contest in the bottom of the third inning. Liberty advances to play the victor of tonight's George Washington-Kent State game in the winner's bracket.
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