PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers softball dropped the opener of its weekend home series with Indiana at the Rutgers Softball Complex on Friday with the Hoosiers topping the Scarlet Knights 7-3.

The loss dropped the Scarlet Knights to 30-18 overall and 7-8 in Big Ten action. The Hoosiers, who have made appearances in the top 25 this season, improved to 32-15 overall and 10-5 in league play.

Indiana 7, Rutgers 3

• Kyleigh Sand led Rutgers at the plate going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs, including one off a stolen base.
• Payton Lincavage scored RU's other run and added an RBI on the afternoon with a sacrifice fly.
• Taylor Fawcett had an RBI base hit.
• Morgan Smith fell to 4-5 on the season inside the circle with Ashley Hitchcock picking up a pair of strikeouts along the way.

• Indiana posted a pair of runs to start the game off in the top of the first. The Hoosiers put runners into scoring position leading to a pair of RBIs for Sarah Stone with a single up the middle.
• Rutgers made it 2-1 in the bottom of the opening inning. The Scarlet Knights had the bases loaded and attempted the double steal. While Payton Lincavage remained on second, Kyleigh Sand continued home for the first of her two runs.
• The Hoosiers added four runs in the second for a 6-1 edge. The visitors loaded the bases and brought runs home with Taryn Kerns hit by a pitch, a two- RBI Taylor Minnick single to right and a Stone sacrifice fly to center.
• Sand made her way around the bases again in the third. The junior shortstop singled thru the left side, was able to move to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored RU's second run on a sacrifice fly to right field from Lincavage.
• A solo home run in the fifth from the bat of Cassidy Kettleman gave Indiana a 7-2 advantage.
• Rutgers added the game's final run in the bottom of the sixth. Lincavage kicked off the Scarlet Knights' at-bat with a walk, advanced on a groundout and reached third on a single by Katie Wingert. Taylor Fawcett followed with a base hit up the middle scoring the senior third baseman.

Rutgers looks to get back on track in game two of the series with Indiana on Saturday at 3 p.m. The Scarlet Knights will honor its alumnae on Letterwinner Day and celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Title IX. Admission is free.