LEESBURG, Fla. -- The Rutgers softball team opened the 2021 Big Ten only schedule on Friday falling in a pair of games to the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Illinois 6, Rutgers 1

STANDOUT STATS

• Rookie Leilani Chavez gave Rutgers its lone run in her Scarlet Knight debut with a single to right in the top of the seventh scoring Kiana Workman.
• Graduate students Gabrielle Callaway and Kiana Workman along with freshman Kayla Bock finished 1-for-3.
• Sophomore lefthander Jaden Vickers got the start tossing three innings with four strikeouts.

THE RUNDOWN

• The Fighting Illini got onto the scoreboard with two runs in the bottom of the second on a Vickery two RBI single thru the right side.
• Illinois tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning. An Avrey Steiner single to short sent home leadoff Kelly Ryono and Maddison Demers walked in a run with the bases loaded.
• The opposition added another two runs with four hits in the sixth. Shelby Stauffenberg had a two RBI single with two outs, but Hailey Hoklotubbe from right field managed to stop another run from coming in with her throw to the plate.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Three Scarlet Knights made their debut with Kayla Bock getting the start in right. Leilani Chavez and Megan Herka also made appearances as pinch hitters.

Illinois 8, Rutgers 0

STANDOUT STATS

• The Scarlet Knights got hits from Gabrielle Callaway, Kayla Bock and Leilani Chavez.
• Graduate student Izzy Berouty threw for five innings in the start.

THE RUNDOWN

• Illinois got off to an early lead with four runs off of four hits to open up game two.
• The Fighting Illini added another run in the top of the second off a triple by Kailee Powell and another three runs in the top of the sixth thanks to an RBI single by Avrey Steiner and two-run home run to center by Powell.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Leilani Chavez got her first career start in left field
• Lauren Punk made her first Scarlet Knight appearance at second base.
• Kobie Hura made her debut in right field.

UP NEXT

The Florida weekend continues with a doubleheader with Northwestern at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

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