Softball In Top 25 Action At Bubly Tournament Hosted By Florida

Friday, March 10

Gainesville, Fla.

10:30 AM

Rutgers University

Mercer

Jaden Vickers inside the circle during the 2022 NISC Tournament

Photo by: Ethan Mito

Softball In Top 25 Action At Bubly Tournament Hosted By Florida

Mar 08 | Softball

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers softball is back on the field this weekend meeting top 25 competition at the Bubly Tournament hosted by the University of Florida. The Scarlet Knights will meet Mercer, Louisiana and Florida.

The host Gators are ranked No. 8 in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, No. 10 in the USA Today/NFCA Poll, No. 13 by D1Softball.com and No. 11 by Softball America. The Ragin' Cajuns, meanwhile, are currently ranked No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Softball Poll and receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Poll.

The Scarlet Knights will also remain in the sunshine state to take on UCF in a mid-week doubleheader on Tuesday, March 14.

TOURNAMENT INFO

Tournament:	Bubly Invitational Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium \| Gainesville, Fla.
Game Notes:	Rutgers \| Mercer \| Louisiana \| Florida
Statistics:	Ru tgers \| Mercer \| Louisiana \| Florida \| Big Ten
Live Stats & Video:	Friday, Mar. 10 10:30 a.m. - Rutgers vs. Mercer - Stats 1:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Louisiana - Stats Saturday, Mar. 11 4:00 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Mercer - Stats 6:30 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Louisiana - Stats Sunday, Mar. 13 Noon. - Rutgers vs. Seton Hall - Stats \| Video (SEC + $)
Social Media:	Facebook \| Twitter \| Instagram

ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

Twenty letterwinners return to the field for the Scarlet Knights in 2023 having only one starter exhaust eligibility with the roster bolstered by five newcomers.
Last year they played to a 25-30 overall record and a post-season National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC) appearance along with garnering its first-ever First Team All-Big Ten honorees and two NFCA First Team All-Region selections.
Rutgers made its second-ever appearance at the National Invitational Softball Championship (NISC) in 2022. The Scarlet Knights were among a record-tying eight Big Ten Teams in the postseason with Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State and Wisconsin earning NCAA berths.
Rutgers opened 2023 sweeping the NorCal Kickoff with a 5-0 record and followed with a 3-2 weekend at the Mardi Gras Classic. With a 7-1 win over Mississippi Valley State, the Scarlet Knights won its first eight-straight games marking the best start for the program since 1980. More recently, RU went 4-1 at both the Low Country Classic in Charleston, South Carolina and Jeannine McHaney Memorial Classic in Lubbock, Texas.
In national stats this week, as a team the Scarlet Knights are 14th in doubles & triples and 18th in fielding percentage. Individually, Kyleigh Sand is second in hits, runs & stolen bases, third toughest to strikeout, fifth in batting average and ninth in on-base percentage. Additionally, Ryan Orange is the fifth toughest to strike out and Morgan Smith is 11th in sacrifice flies.
Among the Big Ten, Rutgers leads its Big Ten peers in batting average (.326), runs (132), triples (8), RBIs (121), on-base percentage (.404), stolen bases (44) and fielding percentage (.980). Sand leads the league in batting average (.552), on-base percentage (.603), runs scored (30), hits (37) and stolen bases (21).
Kyleigh Sand has reached base safely in the last 56 consecutive games nearing the Big Ten record of 59 set by Adrienne Monka of Northwestern in 2011-12. Sand last failed to reach on back on March 6, 2022 against Notre Dame in a 4-3 nine-inning loss.

HOMECOMING

This weekend brings Rutgers head coach Kristen Butler back to her alma mater. Butler was named one of the University of Florida's greatest softball players of all time in 2021 when the Gators celebrated their 25th season of play.
The 2006 SEC Player of the Year, Butler was a catcher with the Florida program from (2003-06) setting the program's single-season home run record (17) which still ranks among the top ten in the category today.
Additionally, the Orlando Florida and Central Florida Christian Academy High School product continues to hold the record for runners caught stealing (22) in a season, as well as the career record for most runners caught stealing (61).
She was the second Gator to earn SEC Player of the Year honors.

ABOUT MERCER

Head Coach: Lindsay Fico (Florida '06) - 22-53 overall (2nd season)/22-53 at Mercer (2nd season)
2023 Record: 6-13

All-Time Series: Rutgers Trails 0-5 (Last Meeting: L, 0-6 - February 27, 2016 - Mercer Invitational - Macon, Ga.)

Bears To Watch:
Batting

Rebeca Laudino - .389 BA, 8 runs, 21 hits, 8 RBIs
Kylie Helm - .313 BA, 6 runs, 15 hits, 3 doubles, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs
Sophie Sumner - .240 BA, 4 runs, 6 hits, 2 RBIs

Pitching

Katie Rearley - 2-3 W-L, 5.65 ERA, 1 save, 43.0 IP, 34 Ks
Grace Taylor - 2-6 W-L, 6.95 ERA, 1 CG, 1 save, 45.1 IP, 23 Ks

ABOUT LOUISIANA

Head Coach: Gerry Glasco (Illinois '80) - 218-61 overall (6th season)/218-61 at Louisiana (6th season)
2023 Record: 13-8

All-Time Series: Rutgers Leads 6-3 (Last Meeting: W, 8-4 - February 9, 2019 - Rajun' Cajuns Invitational - Lafayette, La.)

Ragin' Cajuns To Watch:
Batting

Karly Heath - .373 BA, 16 runs, 19 hits, 3 doubles, 4 HRs, 16 RBIs
Sophie Piskos - .319 BA, 12 runs, 15 hits, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 7 RBIs
Maddie Hayden - .297 BA, 16 runs, 19 hits, 6 doubles, 7 RBIs

Pitching

Meghan Schorman - 5-3 - W-L, 2.51 ERA, 1 CG, 44.2 IP, 50 Ks
Sam Landry - 6-4 W-L, 3.09 ERA, 2 CG, 43.0 IP, 51 Ks

ABOUT FLORIDA

Head Coach: Tim Walton (Oklahoma '96) - 1025-268 overall (21st season)/902-204 at Florida (18th season)
2023 Record: 14-3

All-Time Series: First Meeting

Gators To Watch:
Batting

Skylar Wallace - .514 BA, 20 runs, 18 hits, 1 double, 4 triples, 4 HRs, 20 RBIs
Charla Echols - .432 BA, 13 runs, 19 hits, 4 doubles, 4 HRs, 25 RBIs
Kendra Falby - .429 BA, 23 runs, 24 hits, 2 doubles, 10 RBIs

Pitching

Lexie Delbrey - 3-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA, 2 CG, 19.0 IP, 11 Ks
Elizabeth Hightower - 7-2 W-L, 1.11 ERA, 4 CG, 44.1 IP, 28 Ks
Rylee Trlicek - 5-1 W-L, 2.93 ERA, 1 CG, 28.2 IP, 8 Ks

JEANNINE MCHANEY CLASSIC NOTES

Rutgers went 4-1 in Lubbock, Texas to improve to 16-4 on the year.
Kyleigh Sand hit .600 (9-for-15) with 10 runs and three RBIs while continuing her on-base streak to 56 consecutive games. Sand also had three stolen bases to move into sixth all-time in stolen bases with 43. Additionally, her 21 stolen bases on the season put her into eighth on the single-season leaders list.
Ryann Orange batted .500 (7-for-14) with four runs and four RBIs. The junior had the walk-off RBI single to help lift RU to a 3-2 win over Seton Hall in the finale.
Taylor Fawcett was .467 (7-for-15) at the plate including three doubles and two home runs. Fawcett led the Scarlet Knights with 10 RBIs to go along with four runs scored.
Inside the circle, Raimy Gamsby made three starts with 1-0 record. She threw 11.1 innings giving up four runs on 12 hits with seven strikeouts. She held down a 2.47 ERA on the weekend.
Morgan Smith, meanwhile, made two appearances and earned the extra-innings win over Seton Hall. She tossed 8.1 innings, including six shutouts innings in the second game with Texas Tech. She allowed six hits and three earned runs while fanning eight. At the plate, Smith hit .313 (5-for-16) with four runs and three RBIs.
Rutgers opened the weekend with a 12-4 run-rule victory in its first game with North Dakota. Rutgers jumped out toa 7-0 lead in the first inning marking the most runs in an inning this season. Katie Wingert drove in four runs and captured a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth to lead the Scarlet Knights. It was Wingert's 25th career home run and fourth walk-off of her carer. Taylor Fawcett had a solo home run and went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Morgan Smith was 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and an RBI adding her team-leading sixth double of the year. Ashley Hitchcock improved to 5-0 throwing three innings with three strikeouts. Georgia Ingle pitched two innings of relief allowing no hits with one strikeout.
The Scarlet Knights followed with an 8-4 win over host Texas Tech. Raimy Gamsby got the start throwing the game's first 1.1 innings before Jaden Vickers entered the circle. Vickers upped her mark to 4-1 on the year catching six Red Raiders at the plate on strikes. Six different Scarlet Knights captured hits in the win with Taylor Fawcett delivering a three-run double.
Rutgers took an 11-1 run-rule victory over North Dakota to open up day two. Rutgers captured 11 hits including home runs from the bats of Taylor Fawcett and Lauren Punk. It was the fourth time this season RU hit two home runs in a game. Fawcett posted a career-high four RBIs thanks in part to a three-run home going 2-for-3. Payton Lincavage was 3-for-3 in the opener with two runs and two RBIs. Raimy Gamsby got the victory to up her record to 5-1 on the season. She sent down five on strikes and allowed only one hit throwing the first three innings of the game. Ryann Orange threw the final two innings with one hit and a pair of strikeouts.
RU dropped the second game with Texas Tech 6-5 as the Red Raiders came back to score six runs on seven hits to top the Scarlet Knights. Kyleigh Sand was 2-for-2 scoring three of RU's five runs. Ryann Orange was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Morgan Smith pitched 6.1 innings striking out six along the way. Jaden Vickers took the loss dropping to 4-2 on the year.
Rutgers concluded the tournament and returned to the win column with a 3-2 win in eight innings over Seton Hall. Ryann Orange hit 2-for-4 on the day scoring Kyleigh Sand for the game-winning run. Sand continued her on-base streak to 56 games with a hit in the eighth inning. Morgan Smith picked up the victory to go to 2-1 inside the circle. She threw the final two innings giving up 0 hits while striking out five Pirates. At the plate, she hit her second home run of the season. Katie Wingert and Taylor Fawcett each had doubles. Wingert is currently tied for the team lead in the category along with Smith.

LOW COUNTRY CLASSIC NOTES

Kyleigh Sand moved into a tie for seventh in stolen bases at Rutgers with 40 career stolen bags. She needs three more to tie Amanda Shaw (2006-09) for sixth and five more to tie Quyen Tran (1997-00) for fifth on the list.
Additionally, Sand's on-base streak extended to 51 straight games.
On the weekend, Ryann Orange hit .563 (9-of-16) including three home runs, two doubles and a triple. The rookie Scarlet Knight logged seven runs, seven RBIs and a 1.375 slugging percentage.
Raimy Gamsby led the pitching corps this weekend going 2-1 allowing no earned runs and 10 hits over 16.0 innings inside the circle.
The 10-1 victory in six innings in the opening game marked the first game of the season with two Scarlet Knight dingers. Ryann Orange posted her second of the year, while Morgan Smith's was her first in a Scarlet Knight uniform and the third of her career. Both Morgan and Orange registered their fourth multiple RBI contest of 2023.
Rutgers picked up its third shutout of the year in a 3-0 win over host College of Charleston in game two. Rutgers also picked up an 8-0 victory over Utah Valley and a 2-0 win at Sacramento State during opening weekend. Raimy Gamsby tied her career mark with seven strikeouts. She also threw for seven Ks in three innings in the 16-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State last weekend. Kyleigh Sand's hit streak, meanwhile, ended at 19 games.
Ryann Orange and Katie Wingert smacked back-to-back home runs in their second win over the College of Charleston, a 9-4 victory. It was the first back-to-back dingers since Katie Wingert and former Scarlet Knights Anyssa Iliopoulos and Kiana Workman hit a trio in order back on February 10, 2020, in an 8-3 season-opening win over Army. It was the second time this season RU has hit two home runs in a game.
Katie Wingert collected career home run number 24 and needs two more to move into a tie with Anyssa Iliopoulos for fourth on the Rutgers all-time leaders list.
Rutgers collected three double plays against the Cougars tying for the most in a game in records dating back to 2004. The Scarlet Knight also turned a trio of double plays against Florida Atlantic on March 14, 2018, in a 5-4 win in 15 innings.
With her stolen base, Kyleigh Sand moved into eighth all-time at Rutgers with 39 career stolen bags. She needs one more to move into a tie for seventh with Brittney Lindley (2009-10) and four more to tie for sixth along with Amanda Shaw (2006-09).
Sand's on-base streak has reached 50 straight games.

MARDI GRAS CLASSIC NOTES

Rutgers moved to 8-0 for the first time since 1980 after opening the Mardi Gras Classic with an 8-1 win over Missouri State and a 16-1 run-rule win and 7-1 victory against Mississippi State. The Scarlet Knights, however, fell in their final two games of the weekend with a 4-1 loss and 4-0 setback to host South Alabama.
Ashley Hitchcock, Morgan Smith and Kyleigh Sand were all named to the Mardi Gras Classic All-Tournament Team.
Hitchcock made two appearances inside the circle picking up wins over Missouri State and Mississippi Valley State totaling 11 strikeouts. Against the Bears, she threw four innings allowing four hits and one run. The right-hander gave up no hits, no runs and registered a season-high six strikeouts against the Devilettes.
Smith batted .357 (5-for-14) with four doubles along with five runs and five RBIs. She also struck out three in her lone appearance inside the circle in the first game with South Alabama.
Sand hit .500 (8-for-16) with six runs scored and two RBIs. She also notched her first triple of the season against South Alabama. Altogether she posted seven stolen bases to crack the Rutgers top 10 list and was responsible for 11 putouts.
Payton Lincavage moved up into sole possession of seventh place in career triples with seven total to her name after her second three-base hit against Missouri State.

NORCAL KICKOFF NOTES

Payton Lincavage moved into a tie for seventh on the all-time Rutgers career triples list in the season-opening 8-0 win over Utah Valley. She is tied along with Sarah Kalka (2006-09) as she upped her career count to six. She needs two more to move into a tie for sixth along with Rebecca Hall (2015-18).
The Scarlet Knights took home its first season-opening victory since 2012 in an 8-0 win over Utah Valley.
Rutgers totaled six doubles in the victory over Utah Valley tying for the most in a game dating back to records since 2004. The Scarlet Knights also had six two-base hits last season against UMES (3/17/2022) as well as Brown (3/5/2011) and UC Santa Barbara (2/28/2015).
Kyleigh Sand's four stolen bases in an 8-2 victory over Santa Clara were the most by a Scarlet Knight in records dating back to 2004. Sand's four thefts were the most since fellow teammate Taylor Lane's three against Texas A&M Corpus Christi back on March 1, 2020.
Payton Lincavage totaled five RBIs in an 8-5 win against Seattle becoming the third Scarlet Knight on the current roster to post five RBIs in a game. Kayla Bock captured five against George Washington (3/6/22) and Katie Wingert punched in five against Morgan State (3/16/19).
Raimy Gamsby made her collegiate debut inside the circle last weekend with two starts tossing 7.2 innings with no earned runs, eight strikeouts and a victory over Sacramento State. She allowed only five hits in facing 31 batters. The right-hander made her first Scarlet Knight appearance in RU's 8-2 win over Santa Clara – the second contest of opening day. She threw 2.1 innings giving up no earned runs and three hits while striking out three Broncos. She followed up with 5.1 innings of work in getting the win over Sacramento State giving up only two hits, fanning five and racking up 58 strikes on 89 pitches.

B1G ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Rutgers softball picked up its third consecutive Big Ten weekly award with Ryann Orange bringing home Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors following the Scarlet Knights' 4-1 weekend at the Low Country Classic on Feb. 27.
Orange hit .563 (9-of-16) including three home runs, two doubles and a triple while logging seven runs and seven RBIs and holding down a 1.375 slugging percentage. She had 3-for-3 performances in a 10-1 win over Robert Morris and 9-4 victory over the College of Charleston.
The freshman opened tournament action going 3-for-3 with a home run, three runs scored and stolen base in a 10-1 run six-inning victory over Robert Morris. She followed with an RBI hit giving RU's its third and final run in a shutout over host College of Charleston.
On day two, Orange opened 1-for-3 with her first career triple leading the rookie to score and knot the game at 1-1 in the second inning before falling 2-1 in extra innings. In the nightcap, Orange was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored and a stolen base in the 9-4 win over the College of Charleston. Orange helped Rutgers pound out six hits, including back-to-back home runs, for a 4-0 lead on the Cougars by the end of its first at-bat. Orange had a two-run shot followed by a home run by teammate Katie Wingert giving RU back-to-back home runs for the first time since the 2020 season opener. The Scarlet Knight rookie also had the start inside the circle.
On the final day, Orange tallied her third home run of the tournament and fourth of the season in a 7-2 win over Syracuse giving her second-straight game with multiple RBIs thanks to her two-run shot.

B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK - PART 2

Rutgers' Kyleigh Sand earned her second consecutive Big Ten Player of the Week award it was announced on Feb. 20 by the league office.
The Scarlet Knight shortstop hit .500 (8-for-16) with six runs scored and two RBIs and was named to the Mardi Gras Classic All-Tournament team in RU's 3-2 week.
She cracked the Rutgers all-time stolen bases leaders list and extended her hit streak to 18 games.
Sand helped RU an 8-1 win over Missouri State giving the Scarlet Knights its best start since 1980 behind two runs and a stolen base that landed her on the all-time list at Rutgers.
The junior then added another pair of runs in a 16-1 run-rule win over Mississippi Valley State.
On day two action, Sand was 2-for-4 in the second game against Devilettes with an RBI and three stolen bases, including one at home plate, in a 7-1 victory extending RU's win streak to eight straight. She was then 2-for-3 with a stolen base in a 4-1 setback to host South Alabama.
Sand closed the weekend 2-for-4 at the plate with her first triple of the year in a 4-0 loss to South Alabama.
Altogether she posted seven stolen bases to move into ninth on the all-time list at Rutgers. With 37 stolen bases in her two seasons with RU, Sand needs only one more to move into a tie for seventh with Laurie McMahon (1988-91) and three more to tie for sixth with Brittney Lindley (2009-12).
While on the field at short she was responsible for 11 putouts.
On the season, Sand is batting .559 with 19 hits and 14 runs, five RBIs with 14 stolen bases. She leads the league in batting average, on-base percentage, runs scored, hits and stolen bases. Nationally, she is second in stolen bases, third in hits and 12th in runs per game.
This marks Sand's second weekly honor from the conference this season and third of her career becoming RU's first three-time Big Ten weekly award winner since joining the league in 2014-15

B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK - PART 1

Junior shortstop Kyleigh Sand was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, it was announced on Feb. 13. Sand hit .611 (11-for-18) with eight runs, 3 RBIs and seven stolen bases as Rutgers was the only squad in the Big Ten with an unblemished record out of the season-opening weekend.
The Scarlet Knight kicked off the season going 2-for-4 with two runs in an 8-0 victory over Utah Valley on Friday. She followed hitting 3-for-3, two runs, an RBI and four stolen bases in an 8-2 win against Santa Clara. Sand's four stolen bases were the most by a Scarlet Knight in records dating back to 2004.
On Saturday, Sand continued with a 3-of-4 performance with a double in an 8-5 win versus Seattle adding a run and an RBI and two more stolen bases. The Scarlet Knights junior was then 1-for-4 tacking on a run, RBI and another stolen base in a 5-1 victory over host UC Davis giving Rutgers its best season-opening record in 30 years.
Sand led Rutgers to the NorCal Kickoff sweep on Sunday going 2-for-3 with a run scored over host Sacramento State. The shortstop broke a scoreless stalemate in the top of the sixth in a 2-1 win.
The RU shortstop is on a 13-game hitting streak dating back to last season and has reached base safely in 41 consecutive games. Sand is also one stolen base away from cracking the Rutgers Top 10 in the category with 30 early in her second season with the Scarlet Knights.
The award marks Sand's second Big Ten Player of the Week accolade. She also earned the honor last season following RU's 5-1 record in their first home weekend of the season hitting .619 (13-for-21) with 10 runs and eight RBIs and perfect 6-for-6 on stolen bases.

ALL-TIME RUTGERS LEADERS WATCH LISTS

	All-Time Home Runs
1.	Jackie Bates (2012-15)	40
2.	Brittney Lindley (2009-12)	34
3.	Rebecca Hall (2015-18)	30
4.	Anyssa Iliopoulos (2017-21)	26
5.	Katie Wingert (2019-present)	25
6.	Sierra Maddox (2015-18)	23
7.	Sarah Kalka (2006-09)	21
8.	Nikki Childress (2003-04)	20
9.	Jenny Card (2002-05)	19
10.	Chandler Howard (2012-15)	18

	All-Time Triples
1.	Juliette Brooks (1996-99)	22
2.	Michelle Nikolayew (1993-96)	19
3.	Carla Camino (1990-93)	16
4.	Renee Clark (1984-87)	14
5.	Laurie McMahon (1988-91)	14
6.	Rebecca Hall (2015-18)	9
7.	*Payton Lincavage (2020-present)*	7
8.	Sarah Kalka (2006-09)	6
9t.	Amanda Shaw (2006-09)	5
9t.	Stephanie Huang (2013-16)	5

	All-Time Strikeouts
1.	Alyssa Landrith (2013-15)	642
2.	Leah Black (2000-04)	518
3.	Kelly Gallagher (1985-88)	433
4.	Nikki Ambruso (1989-92)	392
5.	Nicole Lindley (2007-10)	361
6.	*Jaden Vickers (2020 - present)*	296
7.	Ashley Hitchcock (2020 - present)	290
8.	Chrissy Yard (2006-09)	248
9.	Dresden Maddox (2013-16)	241
10.	Sharon Martin (1980-83)	204

	All-Time Stolen Bases
1.	Karen Pelkey (1995-99)	105
2.	Brittney Neer (2001-04)	93
3.	Loren Williams (2013-14)	55
4.	Carla Camino (1990-93)	52
5.	Quyen Tran (1997-2000)	45
6.	*Kyleigh Sand (2022-present)*	44
6.	Amanda Shaw (2006-09)	43
8.	Brittney Lindley (2009-12)	40
9.	Laurie McMahon (1988-91)	38
10.	Lindsey Curran (2009-12)	32

UP NEXT

Rutgers softball will travel for a mid-week contest at UCF on Tuesday, Mar. 14 and return home for its first home games of the 2023 campaign. The Scarlet Knights will host the Rutgers Tournament welcoming teams from Holy Cross, Iona, St. Peter's and UMass-Lowell.

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