GREENVILLE, N.C.  -- The Rutgers softball team was back stateside to open the Pirate Clash at 2-0 with a 13-3 run-rule win over Wagner and a fought back from a tie ball game in the seventh in a 4-3 victory over host ECU.

Rutgers 13, Wagner 3

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Rutgers wasted no time in getting onto the scoreboard in its 13-3 five-inning victory over Wagner with three runs in their first turn at the plate. The Scarlet Knights poured in seven runs on seven hits in the third and closed out the game on a three-run home run by Maddie Lawson in the bottom of the fifth to end the game. 
• Altogether the Scarlet Knights collected 14 hits led by a 3-for-4 effort from Kyleigh Sand. Sand captured a triple, 3 RBIs and scored a pair of runs. 
• Lawson finished going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs and 3 RBIs on her first career dinger. 
• Leilani Chavez and Kiersten Withstandley also drove in two RBIs each. 
• Ashley Hitchcock got her first victory of the 2022 season allowing three runs on four hits with six strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.  

THE RUNDOWN

• Rutgers took the 3-0 advantage in their first turn at the plate. Kiersten Withstandley drove in two runs on a single and scored with the next at-bat on a Leilani Chavez single to center. 
• Kate Wolf gave the Seahawks its first run of the weekend on a solo homer down the left field line. The Scarlet Knights responded, however, generating seven runs in the bottom of the innings. After a pair of walks, Chavez drove in another run to kick off scoring on a single up the middle and started a string of seven consecutive hits. Kayla Bock and Kobie Hura each had RBI singles and Kyleigh Sand sent home three on her triple to center.
• A Penelope Russ double for Wagner in the fifth and an RBI single by the Seahawks' Keaghan Ward in the sixth cut into RU's lead at 10-3  
• Sand and Payton Lincavage reached base in the bottom of the fifth setting up Maddie Lawson to take a 1-0 count over the fence in left.

Rutgers 4, ECU 3

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• A Gabrielle Callaway home run lifted Rutgers to the 4-3 win over the host ECU Pirates in the bottom of the seventh.
• Payton Lincavage went 2-for-3 with a pair runs, while Maddie Lawson hit 2-for-4 with a pair RBIs.
• Kyleigh Sand also added a run scored in the victory.
• Jaden Vickers improved to 3-0 on the year with a six-strikeout contest.
• Ashley Hitchcock, meanwhile, earned her second save of the year shutting down the Pirates in the seventh allowing only one hit and sending a Pirate down on strikes.

THE RUNDOWN

• ECU got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the first with a pair of hits. Jarvis led off with a single to right while Wilson drove her home going to the opposite field for the early 1-0 Pirate lead.
• The lead changed hands in the top of the third as Maddie Lawson continued to connect with the ball leading to a single down the left side to put RU ahead 2-1.
• Payton Lincavage led off the fifth inning and scored off a Kiersten Withstandley base hit into right for the 3-1 Scarlet Knight edge.
• Solo home runs by the Pirates in the fifth and sixth made it a tie ballgame. Chandley Garner went over the fence to right in the fifth and Bailey Ledvina got out of the park in center to knot the game at 3-3.
• Gabrielle Callaway crushed the first pitch into left center pushing Rutgers ahead 4-3.

UP NEXT

The Pirate Clash continues with the Scarlet Knights meeting up with Wagner again on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. followed by their first contest with Colgate at 12:30 p.m.

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