MOBILE, Ala. – Rutgers softball is out to its best start since 1980.

The Scarlet Knights remain undefeated on the season at 7-0 after starting this weekend's Mardi Gras Classic with an 8-1 win over Missouri Valley and a 16-1 win in five innings against Mississippi Valley State.

Rutgers 8, Missouri State 1 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Ashley Hitchcock picked up the victory to improve to 2-0 on the year. The right-hander threw four innings allowing four hits and one run while striking out five.
• Georgia Ingle provided three innings of relief giving up no hits and sending a trio of Bear batters down on strikes.
• At the plate, RU collected hits from six different Scarlet Knights. Lincavage registered her second triple of the season
• Kyleigh Sand and Morgan Smith were each responsible for a pair of runs, while Calista Collins and Payton Lincavage drove in two RBIs. Taylor Fawcett also collected an RBI off a sacrifice fly.
• Sand also stole two bases to move onto the Rutgers career stolen base top 10 list.

THE RUNDOWN

• The Scarlet Knights wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard with three runs in their first at-bat. Kyleigh Sand put up the first tally as the Bears were unable to get the out on a fielder's choice by Ryann Orange. Calista Collins singled to left for a pair of runs and a 3-0 Rutgers lead at the end of the first inning of play.
• With two outs on their return trip to the plate, Rutgers tacked on another trio of runs. Payton Lincavage knocked the ball into right to take over sole possession of seventh place on the triples list to put the Scarlet Knights up 6-0.
• Taylor Fawcett sent home Morgan Smith with two outs on a sacrifice fly giving RU a 7-0 advantage.
• The Bears thwarted the shutout in the top of the fourth. Olivia Krehbiel led off the inning with a triple to left and was brought home as Annie Mueller followed with an RBI hit in the same direction. The Scarlet Knights, however, went back up by seven runs in the bottom of the inning. Taylor Lane came in to pinch run and score the game's final run off a Lincavage grounder.

Rutgers 16, Mississippi Valley State 1

 

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Rutgers swung for 14 hits by nine different Scarlet Knights led by Morgan Smith going 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs.
• Ryann Orange was 2-for-2 with a run and two RBIs, while Megan Herka and Calista Collins were both 2-for-3 with a run scored and batted in. Collins recorded her first career triple.
• Kyleigh Sand, Payton Lincavage, Taylor Fawcett and Maddie Lawson also provided two runs apiece.
• Raimy Gamsby upped her mark to 2-0 on the year giving up only one hit with seven strikeouts in three innings.

THE RUNDOWN

• It was another first-inning lead in game two as RU was out to a 3-0 lead. It was back-to-back errors by the Devilettes that allowed Payton Lincavage, Morgan Smith and Ryann Orange to score, Calista Collins led off with a triple and when the second inning was over, Rutgers had added six runs on four hits and two errors for a 9-0 margin. Collins scored on a fielding error at short, while Ryann Orange added two on a single to right along with RBI hits from Kyleigh Sand and Megan Herka. Morgan Smith also collected an RBI on a ground out to second.
• Six more runs were added in the third on six hits and an error. Scoring began on a Payton Lincavage sacrifice fly, while Morgan Smith added an RBI double with Kyleigh Sand and Maddie Lawson both able to come home on the play. Collins tacked on an RBI single to right while Kobie Hura took the ball up the middle to bring home another pair of runs.
• While the Scarlet Knights were held scoreless in the fourth, the inning did mark the first career at-bat for Jaden Vickers.
• Taylor Lane added a sacrifice fly for RU in the fifth scoring Gillian Walsh.
• The Devilettes stopped a shutout with a run in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded and two outs, Mississippi Valley State's Mykaila Fleming was able to touch home plate after a fielding error.<>< li=""> <>

TOURNAMENT KNIGHT NOTES

• Rutgers is 7-0 for the first time since 1980 when the squad started off the year with eight-straight wins.
• Payton Lincavage moved up into sole possession of seventh place in career triples with seven total to her name. She needs two more to move into a tie for sixth with Rebecca Hall (2015-18).
• Kyleigh Sand cracked the top 10 stolen bases list with her three thefts and now has 33 in her two years as a Scarlet Knights. She is currently in a tie for ninth along with Lindsey Curran (2009-12) and needs five more to tie Lindsey Curran (2009-12) for eighth.
• Sand's hit streak continued to 15 games and she has reached base in her last 42 consecutive games.

UP NEXT

Action continues at the Mardi Gras Classic on Saturday. Rutgers and Mississippi Valley State matchup again at 1:30 p.m. (ET) and take on host South Alabama in the first of two meetings this weekend with the Jaguars at 6:30 p.m. 

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