LEESBURG, Fla. – Rutgers closed out opening weekend with its first wins of the 2021 season taking two from Purdue on Sunday at the Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex.

Rutgers 12, Purdue 9

STANDOUT STATS

• The Scarlet Knights overcame a 4-1 deficit after exploding for seven runs in the top of the second.
• Sophomore Payton Lincavage went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI.
• Graduate student Gabrielle Callaway finished 2-for-5 with a run and two RBIs.
• Junior Taylor Lane was also responsible for two runs going 2-for-4 at the plate.
• Graduate student Izzy Berouty came out of the bullpen to earn her first Scarlet Knight victory tossing five innings.
• Sophomore Jaden Vickers picked up the save with two scoreless innings in relief.

THE RUNDOWN

• While Rutgers put up a run to start off the opening game, Purdue went up 4-1 with their turn at bat.
• The Scarlet Knights loaded the bases for Taylor Fawcett to walk in Leilani Chavez for the 1-0 advantage in the top of the first.
• In the bottom of the inning, Basset had an RBI double to left, while the Boilermakers added two runs off a collision in the outfield. Later in the inning, the bases were loaded for Wimpee to walk in a run and give the Boilermakers a 4-1 lead. The Scarlet Knights, however, managed to stop a pair of runs at the plate to end the inning.
• Rutgers then turned the table with seven runs and five hits to stay in front. Again with the bases filled, Aleeah Randazzo was hit by a pitch and Gabrielle Callaway sent in a run off an error by short. The scoring continued with Randazzo scoring on a wild pitch and followed by a two-run double to left center by Kayla Bock. Bock went on to score on a Hailey Hoklutubbe single up the middle.
• Purdue added a run in their next two turns at the plate to trail 8-6, however, Rutgers piled on four more runs in the top of the fifth.
• The Scarlet Knights batted through the order for a second time as an RBI double by Payton Lincavage and singles by Callaway and Workman contributed to extending RU's lead. Workman later scored on a wild pitch to put the Scarlet Knights ahead 12-6.
• The Boilermakers collected three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth, but drew no closer.

Rutgers 6, Purdue 5

STANDOUT STATS

• Rutgers collected three runs with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh to complete the sweep of Purdue.
• Graduate student Kiana Workman, who scored the game-winning run, ended the evening 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI.
• Payton Lincavage went 2-for-4 with a run with Gabrielle Callaway, pinch runner Mya Mancini and Taylor Lane also earning runs.
• Izzy Berouty also got the win in game two working the final three innings of play.

THE RUNDOWN

• Purdue took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run single to right from Brannstrom.
• The Scarlet Knights got onto the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the third with Kiana Workman single scoring Taylor Lane.
• The Boilermakers added a pair of runs in the fifth to go up 4-0. A fielder's choice by Jones allowed Becker to reach home and while Hallada managed to score Jones off a grounder to third.
• Rutgers got the two runs back in the sixth off a two-RBI double by Kobie Hura to left center as RU trailed 4-2.
• Purdue tacked on another run in the seventh on a Bassett double down the right-field line.
• Down 5-2, the Scarlet Knights loaded based but picked up a pair of outs. Hura walked in a run, Aleeah Randazzo singled to third to score Gabrielle Callaway and Kiersten Withstandley was hit by a pitch to score Kiana Workman for the game-winning run.  

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights will be back to the Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex in two weeks to face Minnesota and Indiana.

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