EAST LANSING, Mich. – After falling behind in the first inning, Rutgers softball tied Sunday's contest up at Secchia Stadium in the top of the fourth. However, the Scarlet Knights came up short in the series finale as the Spartans regained the lead in the bottom of the inning and added insurance runs in the sixth.

Michigan State 4, Rutgers 1

STANDOUT STATS

• Graduate student Gabrielle Callaway closed out the series going 2-for-3 at the plate and scoring RU's lone run of the afternoon.
• Fifth-year senior Anyssa Iliopoulos and sophomore Payton Lincavage also dropped in hits.
• Sophomore Ashley Hitchcock went the distance for a third time in 2021 tossing five strikeouts.

THE RUNDOWN

• The Spartans took a 1-0 lead with their second batter off a Caitie Ladd solo home run to right-center.
• Callaway tied the contest up in the top of the fourth. Leading off with a single to right, the Scarlet Knight advanced on a passed ball. Off the wild pitch that followed, Callaway charged past third and beat the tag at the plate to knot the score at 1-1.
• Michigan State went back in front at the bottom of the inning off an RBI double to center from Marrisa Trivelpiece.
• The Spartans added two more runs in the fifth. Jenae Wash connected for an RBI triple to left-center and scored on the sacrifice fly to left by Camryn Wincher.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Callaway finished the series hitting .429 with six hits, a pair of doubles and three runs.
• Illipoulos batted .455 in the four games with a double and a run.
• Hitchcock threw 15.0 innings total leading the Scarlet Knight hurlers with eight strikeouts.

HIGHLIGHTS

 

UP NEXT

The Rutgers softball team is back home for the first time in 699 days when they begin a four-game series with Nebraska on Friday, April 2. The contest will be the first official games on the Scarlet Knights' brand new turf field and at the updated Rutgers Softball Complex.

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