BLOOMINGTON, IND. – Rutgers softball had runners in scoring position down a run in the seventh but was unable to push through the tying and go-ahead run in a 5-4 setback to Indiana in the second game of the weekend series with the Hoosiers at Andy Mohr Field.

Indiana upped its overall mark to 21-10 and 4-4 in Big Ten action. Rutgers, meanwhile, dropped to 23-17 and 1-7 in conference.
 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Lefthander junior Jaden Vickers struck out eight throwing all six innings. She fell to 14-5 on the year allowing five hits and four earned runs.
• Sophomore Kayla Bock went 3-for-4 with an RBI and graduate student Gabrielle Callaway was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Additionally, Maddie Lawson with 1-for-4 with two RBIs off a double that brought the Scarlet Knights within a run in the sixth.

THE RUNDOWN

• Brittany Ford used an RBI double to center to score the host's first run in the first. Ford's hit to center scored Taylor Minnick from second, but Brianna Copeland got tripped up trying to add another run careering home from first and was tagged out by RU catcher Katie Wingert to get the Scarlet Knights out of the inning down only a run.
• A little bit of chaos on the bases in the top second eventually resulted in Rutgers taking a 2-1 lead. The Scarlet Knights had runners in scoring position as a bunt from Payton Lincavage put her aboard but caught Taylor Fawcett trying to advance as Gabrielle Callaway remained on third. The graduate student, however, gave RU its first run stealing home and gave Lincavage the opportunity to not only take second but advance to third setting up Kayla Bock to send her home on a base hit to left.
• Indiana came up big with two outs in the bottom of the fifth with four runs coming across on a trio of hits and an error. With two aboard, Minnick doubled to left-center for a run to tie the game and Copeland followed with a triple to right-center for two RBIs for the Hoosiers to go ahead 3-2. Copeland would score off a bobble at short upping the host's lead to 5-4.
• Rutgers cut its deficit to a run when they returned to the plate. Maddie Lawson took her first pitch to the wall in left-center driving in Katie Wingert and Kyleigh Sand to trail Indiana, 5-4.
  The Scarlet Knights put two in scoring position in the top of the seventh but were unable to advance the runners home.

UP NEXT

Rutgers softball closes out the series on Sunday with first pitch set for noon.

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