PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers softball team defeated No. 18/19 Northwestern, 7-3, on Saturday afternoon at the Rutgers Softball Complex giving the Scarlet Knights its first top-25 victory since 2012.

RU took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never trailed against the Big Ten regular season champions. Jaden Vickers went the distance inside the circle in the win with Kyleigh Sand putting up a pair of doubles and two runs scored along with a three-run home run from Lauren Punk in the fifth.

The Scarlet Knights, who clinched a spot in the Big Ten Tournament on Friday when Penn State defeated Purdue, improved to 32-23 overall and 9-13 in Big Ten play. Northwestern dropped to 34-11 overall and 19-3 snapping a five-game win streak. Entering Saturday's contest, the Wildcats were winners in 14 of their 15 contests.

Rutgers 7, No. 18/19 Northwestern 3 

• Jaden Vickers tossed all seven innings giving up three runs on nine hits while striking out four to improve to 11-7.
• Kyleigh Sand and Morgan Smith were both 2-for-4 in the win. Sand put up a pair of doubles and scored a pair of runs, while Smith collected an RBI double and run scored.
• Both Maddie Lawson and Payton Lincavage were 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
• Lauren Punk dropped in RU's 39th home run of the 2023 season with a three-run shot.

• Rutgers got the day started with a 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning. Payton Lincavage and Morgan Smith both singled thru the infield and advanced on a fielder's choice by Katie Wingert. Maddie Lawson was able to bring Lincavage home on a single to left with two outs.
• Northwestern tied the ball game up at 1-1 in the third on a Lauren Sciborski home run to left to lead off the inning.
• The bottom of the second, however, saw the lead return to the Scarlet Knights. Sand opened up the RU at-bat with her first double of the day to center with Smith scoring the junior shortstop on a double to left center. Wingert followed with a base hit in the opposite direction to score Smith for a 3-1 Rutgers edge.
• RU took a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Sand doubled again, this time down the right field line, advanced to third off a wild pitch and came home on Lincavage's single to center.
  In the fifth, Wingert came on board after getting hit by a pitch and Lawson singled to center field. Lauren Punk came to the plate with one out and delivered a 1-1 count over the wall in center giving the Scarlet Knights a 7-1 advantage.
• The Wildcats added runs in the sixth and seventh. Angela Zedak homered to right field on the first pitch of the sixth inning and used a single with two on scoring Hannah Cady in the seventh.
• With the bases loaded, Jaden Vickers ended the game striking out the tying run at the plate catching the Wildcats swinging for her fourth strikeout of the afternoon.

•  The win marked Rutgers' first top-25 victory since a 1-0 win over No. 21/22 Florida State on March 18, 2012. It was also the first home top-25 victory since a 3-1 win over No. 25 Louisville on April 14, 2010. The victory also marked RU's first ever over the Wildcats.
• The seven runs brought the Scarlet Knights total to 284 on the season tying the school record. It is the most runs since 2015.
• Jaden Vickers tossed her 19th complete game of her career and fifth of the season.
• Lauren Punk collected her fourth career home run and third of the season. She also had home runs versus North Dakota in an 11-1 win on March 4 during the Jeannie McHaney Memorial Classic and versus Saint Peter's on March 18 in an 11-3 victory during the Rutgers Tournament. Her three RBIs are a career-high.
• Rutgers totaled three or more doubles in a game for the 14th time this season with Kyleigh Sand tying her career-high with two doubles for the third time.

The regular season comes to a close on Sunday as Rutgers and Northwestern close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Rutgers seniors will be honored following the game. Admission is free.