IOWA CITY, Iowa – It was a wild battle on a blustery at Bob Pearl Field in the softball series finale between Rutgers and Iowa on Sunday afternoon.

The Hawkeyes built a 5-0 lead after the top half of the first, but Rutgers produced six unanswered runs with four in the second and two in the fourth to claim a 6-5 edge. Iowa, however, retook the lead in the bottom of the fourth and added insurance runs in the sixth to top the Scarlet Knights 9-6.

Rutgers fell to 31-22 overall and 8-12 in the Big Ten. Iowa upped its record to 30-22 overall and 10-10 in the league.

Iowa 9, Rutgers 6

• Morgan Smith was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored.
• Payton Lincavage notched a pair of doubles going 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
• Katie Wingert was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.
• Ashley Hitchcock was the starter while Jaden Vickers dropped to 10-7 on the year tossing 4.2 innings with five strikeouts.

• Rutgers loaded the bases to open the game, but Iowa got out of the jam. Payton Lincavage doubled while walks by Morgan Smith and Katie Wingert had a Scarlet Knight on each bag with one out, however, the Hawkeyes were able to retire the side without allowing a run.
• Iowa also loaded the bases in their first at-bat, but the Hawkeyes were able to bring home five runs. With two outs and Hawkeyes on all three bases, a Tory Bennett single drove in a pair of runs while Sammy Diaz was able to score off an errant throw to second base. Iowa added two more runs coming off an RBI single by Grace Banes to right field and a wild pitch.
• A five-run deficit, however, was reduced to one on RU's return trip to the plate in the top of the third. With two outs, Morgan Smith delivered a two-RBI single thru the left side and Katie Wingert knocked in a pair with a double to center.
• Rutgers took the lead in the next inning. Kyleigh Sand lead off the fourth with a single going off the glove of the diving Hawkeye first baseman. Payton Lincavage followed with a double, her second of the game, to right. Sand attempted to score the game-tying run but was caught at the plate. Lincavage became the tying run though as Smith produced a double to left center. Smith put RU ahead 6-5 advancing on a single by Wingert and scoring on an error.
• The Hawkeyes retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Denali Loecker posted her second home run of the series with a two-run shot to center and a 7-6 Iowa advantage.
• Loecker returned to the plate for the Hawkeyes in the sixth and went over the wall to center in her second consecutive at-bat, however, the Hawkeye was called out for missing first base. Her two teammates aboard, however, still scored to give Iowa a 9-6 lead.

• With her double, Katie Wingert posted her 15th double of the year to move into a tie for fourth on the single-season leaders list. With two doubles, Payton Lincavage has now totaled 14 doubles this season and cracked the single-season top 10 list. She has 33 career doubles and moved into eighth place on the all-time list. Morgan Smith recorded her 12th double of 2023 and 15th of her career.

Rutgers softball returns home for its final regular season series. The Scarlet Knights welcome #18/22 Northwestern for a three-game series beginning on Friday, May 5. Admission is free.