CHAMPAIGN, ILL. – Rutgers softball resumed play in game one of the weekend series with Illinois to open the Big Ten slate with a 7-5 victory to give head coach Kristen Butler her 200th career win and went up 2-0 in the series following an 8-0 shutout in game two.

Rutgers improved to 25-10 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten.

Rutgers 7, Illinois 5

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• On Friday, the Scarlet Knights and Fighting Illini got thru four innings of play before inclement weather halted the game with the score tied at 2-2. Game one of the series was resumed on Saturday afternoon.
• While Illinois briefly took a 3-2 lead at the end of five innings, Rutgers unloaded five hits including a trio of home runs to go in front in the sixth.
• Morgan Smith was the pitcher of record, taking to the circle after the resumption of play to improve to 4-3. At the plate, she was 2-for-3 including a two-run home run.
• Georgia Ingle earned her second save of the season throwing 1.2 innings with only one hit allowed and a walk.
• Katie Wingert, who added her fourth home run of the year during the fifth-inning barrage, was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Kobie Hura, who had a home run during Friday's play, finished 2-for-4.

THE RUNDOWN

• Kobie Hura in the nine-hole got the scoring started in the top of the third with a home run coming off the left-field foul pole. Rutgers followed by loading the bases setting up Katie Wingert to walk in Kyleigh Sand for a 2-0 lead.
• Three hits and a sac fly for Illinois in the bottom of the inning tied the score.
• The Scarlet Knights had runners in scoring position in the fourth. The Fighting Illini, however, caught Taylor Fawcett's potential go-ahead run at the plate.
• When play resumed, Illinois took a lead in the bottom of the fifth. Delaney Rummell singled, took an extra base on a bobble in the outfield and reached third on a passed ball. Megan Ward followed with a double into left-center giving the hosts a 3-2 edge.
• Rutgers, however, responded with five hits including three home runs to go in front for good. Calista Collins led off the top of the sixth with her first career home run to tie the game while back-to-back doubles led to a run scored by Kyleigh Sand and an RBI for Payton Lincavage. The Scarlet Knights then smacked back-to-back home runs with a two-run blast by Morgan Smith into right-center and Katie Wingert going deep to left for the 7-3 advantage.
• Illinois cut its deficit by a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Stevie Meade registered an RBI single scoring Alaina Miller from third and Ward knocked in a run on a base hit with the bases loaded.
• Rutgers would get out of the inning without further damage as they turned their 14th double play of the year.

KNIGHT NOTES

• The victory gave Rutgers head coach Kristen Butler her 200th career victory. Butler, who is in her fifth season at Rutgers, is three victories away from her 100th win "On The Banks".
• Rutgers' four home runs were the most by the team since belting five against Army on Feb. 10, 2019, in a 12-4 win at the Mercer Invitational. Additionally, the four home runs ties for the most in Big Ten play and the most in a seven-inning contest. The Scarlet Knights also had four home runs against Michigan State in a 7-5 win in eight innings on May 3, 2019, and a 10-9 win in eight innings on May 4, 2019.
• It was the seventh time this season RU has recorded two or more home runs in a game.
• Calista Collins recorded her first collegiate home run in the victory. She was the 10th Scarlet Knight to register a home run this season.
• Kobie Hura had her second-straight game with a home run. It was her third of the season and fifth of her career.
• Morgan Smith connected on home run number five of the season and the seventh of her career.
• Katie Wingert's home run moved her into sole possession of fourth on the all-time home run leaders list with 27 career home runs. The dinger was also her 11th of the season. 
• Smith and Wingert collected back-to-back home runs marking the second time this season Rutgers has accomplished the feat. Ryann Orange and Wingert also had back-to-back hits over the fence in a 9-4 win at the College of Charleston on Feb. 25.
• Wingert also walked in a run for the second time this season. The bases were also loaded for Wingert against North Dakota for her to walk in the first run of a 12-4 victory back on March 3.
• The win halted a five-game losing streak against the Fighting Illini.

Rutgers 8, Illinois 0

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

• Raimy Gamsby recorded her second complete-game shutout tying her season-high with seven strikeouts.
• Kyleigh Sand, Payton Lincavage, Morgan Smith, Katie Wingert and Ryann Orange had two hits each with Lincavage and Wingert each going out of the park. Wingert totaled three RBIs and a pair of runs, while Lincavage ended the game with a pair of runs and pair of RBIs.
• Sand and Maddie Lawson also each had a double in the victory.

THE RUNDOWN

• Rutgers went thru the order posting five runs on six hits to open game two. Kyleigh Sand and Payton Lincavage got the Scarlet Knights started with back-to-back doubles, with Morgan Smith and Katie Wingert following with back-to-back RBI singles for a 3-0 lead. Maddie Lawson went down the left field line for RU's third extra-base hit of the inning and Ryann Orange singled to center to keep the runs coming in and extending the advantage to 5-0.
• Payton Lincavage joined Saturday's home run club with a solo shot to right and a 6-0 Rutgers lead.
• Katie Wingert added RU's fifth home run of the day and second of the game with a two-run bomb to center.

KNIGHT NOTES

• It was the eighth time this season RU has recorded two or more home runs in a game.
• Payton Lincavage notched her third home run of the year and 12th of her career.
• Katie Wingert posted home run number 12 of the season and the 28th of her career. She needs two more to move into a tie for third with Rebecca Hall (2015-18) on the all-time list and one more to crack the season top 10 list.
• Raimy Gamsby tied her season high with seven strikeouts. The rookie also fanned seven in her other complete game shutout, a 3-0 win at the College of Charleston on Feb. 24.
• The shutout was the first Big Ten shutout since a 1-0 victory at home against Iowa back on April 19, 2019. It was the seventh shutout in Big Ten play since starting Big Ten play in 2015.
• The win gives RU its second series win over Illinois. The Scarlet Knights also won the series, 2-1, back in 2016

UP NEXT

The Rutgers Tournament concludes on Sunday. Holy Cross will meet Iona at 11:15 a.m. while Rutgers takes on UMass-Lowell at 1:30 p.m. and Holy Cross at 3:45 p.m. Admission to all games at the Rutgers Softball Complex are free.

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