PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Sophomore shortstop Kyleigh Sand hit .875 with seven hits, five RBIs, four runs and her first career home run in helping lift Rutgers to a 2-0 day at the Rutgers Softball Tournament.
The Scarlet Knights came back with three runs in the sixth en route to a 5-2 win over Saint Peter's in game one while Sand delivered a two-run walk-off single to top Fairfield 8-0 in five innings in game two.
RU allowed only one hit by the opposition in each game as the two wins improved the Scarlet Knights to 19-10 on the year.
Rutgers 5, Saint Peter's 2
- Kyleigh Sand was 4-for-4 blasting her first career home run and ending game one with two runs and two RBIs.
- Maddie Lawson went 3-for-4 with a run scored and Kayla Bock had a 2-for-4 performance with two RBIs.
- Additionally, Gabrielle Callaway hit 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
- Jaden Vickers captured her eighth complete game in a one-hitter. The lefthander struck out nine along the way and improved to 12-2 inside the circle.
- Kyleigh Sand started off her day with a leadoff home run to left for her first career long ball.
- The Peacocks took a 2-1 edge in the second walking a run in with the bases loaded and a sacrifice fly.
- Sand helped knot the score at 2-2 in the third driving in a run with a hit to right. Katie Wingert tied to add another run to take the lead but was caught trying to score on the throw in from the outfield.
- Rutgers tallied three runs on four hits in the sixth to go back in front. Sand led off with a single and made her way to third off a stolen base and wild pitch setting up Gabrielle Callaway to bring her home on a single up the middle. Another base hit and a walk allowed the Scarlet Knights to load the bases. Kayla Bock came to the plate get thru the left side adding two more runs for the 5-2 edge.
Rutgers 8, Fairfield 0 - 5 Innings
- Seven different Scarlet Knights came across the plate for runs in game two.
- Kyleigh Sand's day continued with a 3-for-4 performance adding three RBIs and two runs scored to her stat line.
- Payton Lincavage extended her hitting streak to six, while Gabrielle Callaway and Sand each have reached base safely in the last 10 outings.
- Callaway also added a trio of runs batted in finishing game two going 2-for-2, while Taylor Fawcett was 2-for-3 with her team-leading seventh double of the year.
- Ashley Hitchcock was inside the circle for all five innings for her second shutout and eighth complete game of the year. The right-hander allowed only one hit and fanned seven as she upped her mark to 7-8.
- Rutgers scored at least one run in all five innings.
- The game opened on a Maddie Lawson sacrifice fly scoring Kyleigh Sand in the first.
- The Scarlet Knights added three more for a 4-0 lead at the end of two. Katie Wingert scored on a Sand groundout and Gabrielle Callaway pushed two more across the plate with a single to left.
- Back-to-back doubles to centerfield led to a run in the second and a 5-0 advantage. Taylor Fawcett got two bases and Kayla Bock followed up with her own to score Fawcett.
- Another Callaway RBI base hit extended RU's margin to 6-0 in the third.
- With no outs and the bases stacked with Scarlet Knights, Sand hit the ball into center for two runs and the ballgame.
The Rutgers Softball Tournament continues Saturday with Fairfield vs. Holy Cross at 9 a.m., Stony Brook vs. Fairfield at 11:15 a.m., Rutgers vs. Holy Cross at 1:30 p.m. and Drexel vs. Stony Brook at 3:45 p.m.
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