PISCATAWAY, N.J. –Rutgers softball's strong nonconference performance this season translated into a B1G opening win. The Scarlet Knights downed Minnesota, 9-2, to kick off the conference slate in the opener of the three-game series with the Golden Gophers at the Rutgers Softball Complex on Friday afternoon.

The victory was RU's first conference-opening win since the 2015 season, the Scarlet Knights' first season in the Big Ten, and the first-ever win over the Golden Gophers in 13 meetings.

Rutgers upped its overall mark to 22-10 overall.
 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• The Scarlet Knights led 9-2 after three innings off three hits and finished the afternoon with five total hits. The Golden Gophers walked the Scarlet Knights 11 times during the seven-inning contest, with seven walked and another two hit by pitches during RU's four-run second inning and five-run third inning.
• Graduate student Gabrielle Callaway was 2-for-2 with a grand slam, five RBIs and two runs. It was Callaway's team-leading fifth home run of the year and her second career grand slam. She hit RU's last grand slam during a 10-6 win over Nebraska on April 3, 2021. Her five home runs this season ties her season-high having hit five long balls last season.
• Sophomore Kyleigh Sand and junior Payton Lincavage were also each responsible for a pair of runs scored.
• Redshirt junior Katie Wingert went 1-or-2 with two RBIs that would give Rutgers the lead for good in the second inning.
• Junior right-hander Ashley Hitchcock improved to 9-8 inside the circle with her 10th complete game of the year. She allowed six hits and two runs with five strikeouts.

THE RUNDOWN

• The visitors opened up a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Sara Kinch and Megan Dray led off with back-to-back base hits allowing Sydney Strelow to bring them home on a double to right-center.
• The Golden Gophers, however, would be limited to three hits the rest of the way as Rutgers racked up four runs in the bottom of the inning and added five more in the third.
• After the first two Rutgers batters were retired in the bottom of the second, Minnesota walked the next four Scarlet Knights and a hit batter tied the score up at 2-2. Gabrielle Callaway garnered the RBI on RU's first run of the day on the fourth-straight Scarlet Knight to take a base on balls scoring Taylor Lane. Then Kayla Bock was hit by a pitch to send in Kyleigh Sand. Katie Wingert continued with a two-RBI single thru the left side for RU to take a 4-2 lead.
• In the third, the Scarlet Knights would bat through the order for the second-straight time. Walks loaded the bases yet again and this time it was Payton Lincavage getting brushed by the ball to take a base scoring Kiersten Withstandley. The bases remained loaded for Callaway to smack a 2-2 count grand slam into left field up the RU advantage to 9-2.

UP NEXT

The Rutgers softball team continues the series with Minnesota on Saturday at 1 p.m. Admission is free.

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