ARLINGTON, Texas – The Rutgers softball team dropped its opening two games of the Boerner Invitational on Friday. Kansas jumped out to an early lead en-route to handing the Scarlet Knights a 10-1 setback, while host UT-Arlington connected on two home runs in their final at-bat for a 5-4 come from behind win.

The Scarlet Knights dropped to 5-6 on the year.

KANSAS 10, RUTGERS 1 (5)

STANDOUT STATS

• Graduate transfer Kiana Workman put up the Scarlet Knights' lone run on her second home run of the season. She finished 1-for-2 at the plate.
• Freshman Ashley Hitchcock finished the final 3.2 innings inside the circle with seven strikeouts to tie her season-high.

THE RUNDOWN

• The Jayhawks opened the game with a three-run lead thanks to four hits in the top of the first, including a two-run shot by Morgyn Wynne to center field.
• Kansas set up Wynne's return trip to the plate in the top of the second with a trio of singles for the Jayhawk to send the ball out of the park again for a grand slam and a 7-0 advantage.
• After the Jayhawks added a run in the top of the third, the Scarlet Knights got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning as Kiana Workman led off with a home run to left field.
• Kansas, however, further its lead to 10-1 in the top of the fourth off a sacrifice fly from Madison Hirsch and Ashlyn Anderson scoring off a wild pitch.
• In the bottom of the inning, the Scarlet Knights loaded the bases with three-straight walks but the Jayhawks managed to leave RU stranded striking out one along with a pair of pop flies.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Kiana Workman posted her second Scarlet Knight home run and eighth of her career.
• Ashley Hitchcock struck out seven batters for a second time this season also striking out seven in RU's win over Hartford. The freshman Scarlet Knight has logged five or more strikeouts in a game five times this season.

UTA 5, RUTGERS 4

STANDOUT STATS

• Sophomore Aleah Marra was 2-for-4 and gave Rutgers its 11^th home run of the season, while freshman Taylor Fawcett was 1-for-4 with a run scored and Katie Wingert finished 1-of-3 with a RBI.

 

THE RUNDOWN

• Aleah Marra led off the contest with her first home run of the season over the right field fence to open the contest.
• The bottom of the second, however, the Mavericks took a one-run lead. Off a trio of singles, including an RBI single from Madison Miller thru the right side, UTA tied the game and then went ahead off an Avery Grimes sacrifice fly to left.
• The following inning, UTA added another run. The Scarlet Knights tried to catch Regan Hukill stealing third, but the throw was off target allowing the Maverick to score.
• Rutgers reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth. Taylor Fawcett led off with a single and as UTA tried to get out Gabrielle Callaway on the ensuing double, a miscue allowed Fawcett to reach home. Katie Wingert followed with an RBI single to knot the game at 3-3. Two batters later, RU was able to capitalize on another Maverick miscue which sent in pinch runner Cambria Keefer to put the Scarlet Knights ahead 5-3.
• The Mavericks unfortunately made the most of their final at-bat. Miller led off with a home run to left center and then with two outs, Whitney Walton cleared the fence for the win

KNIGHT NOTES

• Cambria Keefer registered her third run of the season with Scarlet Knight pinch runners responsible for six total runs.

UP NEXT

On day two of the Boerner Invitational on Saturday, the Rutgers softball team will open UTSA at 11 a.m. (ET) with the Scarlet Knights playing their second contest at either 4 p.m. (ET) or 6:30 p.m. (ET).


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