PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers softball is back on the road heading to the Mizuno Invitational hosted by UNC. The Scarlet Knights will meet up with the host Tar Heels along with Big South Champion Campbell, Lafayette and Rider, 
 

TOURNAMENT INFO

 

Tournament:	MIZUNO INVITATIONAL Chapel Hill, N.C. | Anderson Softball Field
Game Notes:	Rutgers | Campbell | Lafayette | UNC | Rider
Statistics:	Rutgers  | Campbell | Lafayette | UNC | | Rider | Big Ten
Live Stats & Video:	UPDATED SCHEDULE - As of 2/29 - 1:30 p.m.  Friday, Mar. 1 9 a.m. - Rutgers vs. Lafayette - Live Stats   Saturday, Mar. 2 11 a.m. - Rutgers at UNC - Live Stats 1:30 p.m. - Rutgers vs. Campbell - Live Stats Sunday, Mar. 3 9 a.m. - Rutgers vs. Rider - Live Stats * - All times listed ET
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ABOUT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS

• The Scarlet Knights head into the weekend at 10-6 overall coming off a 4-2 performance at last weekend's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
• Rutgers continues to be led by catcher Katie Wingert who is hitting .404 with 15 runs, 19 hits, three doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBIs. Wingert is three home runs away from tying Jackie Bates (2012-15) at RU's all-time home run leader and four dingers away from becoming the Scarlet Knights' all-time leader. She currently ranks second nationally in home runs and is 13th in RBIs.
• Kayla Bock, coming off a 9-for-19 weekend and hitting .474 at Mary Nutter, upped her season average to .400 at the plate to go along with a team second-best 16 RBIs.
• Dual-threat Morgan Smith is batting .362 with a team-second-best six home runs to go along with 16 runs, 17 hits, three doubles and 14 RBIs. Inside the circle, the senior Scarlet Knight is 3-2 overall with a 2.68 ERA and 16 strikeouts over 44.1 innings and nine appearances.
• Leadoff shortstop Kyleigh Sand, currently Rutgers' all-time career leader in batting average enters the weekend hitting .375 with a team-leading 20 runs and 31 hits. The senior has also collected a trio of doubles and is 7-8 on stolen bases, currently ranking third all-time "On The Banks" in the category. On the national scene, she is ranked as the second hardest hitter to strike out.
• Mattie Boyd is also getting it done in the circle with a 7-2 record. In her nine appearances, she has tossed 45.1 innings with five complete games and 19 fanned.

MARY NUTTER RECAP

• Rutgers went 4-2 at the prestigious Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with victories over Hawaii, UC Riverside, Cal Poly and CSUN.
• Kayla Bock led RU at the pate hitting .474 with nine RBIs on nine hits.
• Katie Wingert also smacked a pair of home runs on the trip hitting .353 with six runs batted in.
• Kyleigh Sand added eight runs and two stolen bases on her return to her home state.
• Morgan Smith hit .400 with three home runs and eight RBIs while tossing 17.0 innings with nine strikeouts and a 3.71 ERA.
• Mattie Boyd finished the California trip 3-1 inside the circle throwing 19.0 innings with 10 total strikeouts.
• Tournament action opened with RU coming back from a 6-1 deficit to take a 14-7 win over Hawaii and open up with a 4-1 edge after one inning in a 7-5 win over UC Riverside.
• RU split day two action dropping an 11-7 decision to LMU before returning to the field to defeat Cal Poly breaking open the game in the top of the third on a two-run blast from Morgan Smith and Kayla Bock adding on with a two-out, two-RBI single.
• Play concluded with the Scarlet Knights exploding for six runs in the ninth for an 8-3 extra innings loss to CSUN before falling 9-1 to BYU.

PANTHER INVITATIONAL RECAP

• Rutgers softball split day one of the Panther Invitational with a no-hitter against Army West Point and a loss to No. 10 Duke with the two squads coming in tied 1-1 into the game's final inning. 
• The Scarlet Knights opened the tournament with a 2-0 victory over the Black Knights behind a no-hitter from Mattie Boyd.
• RU went in front against the top ten Blue Devils early as Katie Wingert's sixth home run in seven games put RU up after two innings. Duke, however, tied the game up in the fifth on a home run of their own and added three unearned runs in the seventh to avoid an upset loss.
• Rutgers dropped a pair of contests with host FIU on day two. FIU topped RU in game one, 4-3 and got past the Scarlet Knights in extra innings, 3-2, in bracket play in the No. 2 vs No. 3 game. 
• In game one, Morgan Smith went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs while Kyleigh Sand was 1-for-3 with two runs and moved into a tie for fourth on the career stolen base leaders list. LA Matthews was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Mattie Boyd, meanwhile, went 5.1 innings in her first loss of the season with two strikeouts.
• In game two, Morgan Smith made it back-to-back games with a home run and added a double while tossing a complete game with four strikeouts. She was responsible for both RU's runs scored. She dropped to 2-2 in the circle.
• Rutgers softball closed out its trip to the Panther Invitational with a run-rule shutout of Army, 9-0. Mattie Boyd got the win in the circle while Katie Wingert had hits on all three trips to the plate and knocked in a pair of runs. Wingert was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. The Scarlet Knight catcher also posted her third double of the season. Kyleigh Sand collected a triple, two runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Kobie Hura was also responsible for a pair of runs coming across home plate. Boyd tossed three innings with four strikeouts as she improved to 4-1 inside the circle.

HOUSTON INVITATIONAL RECAP

•  Rutgers softball celebrated opening day 2024 with a pair of victories. The Scarlet Knights took down Colgate 9-1 in a run-rule five-inning contest and wrapped up the day powering to a 14-5 victory against Indiana State.
• Katie Wingert managed home runs in both contests to move into third all-time at Rutgers in the category while Kyleigh Sand's five runs scored against the Sycamores tied for the most runs in a game in records dating back to 2004.
• In the 9-1 win over Colgate, Mattie Boyd made her Rutgers debut inside the circle allowing only one hit while racking up 11 strikeouts. Kayla Bock was 2-for-2 with 3 RBIs, while Both LA Matthews and Payton Lincavage were 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Katie Wingert gave RU its first home run of the year with a two-run shot to move up on the Rutgers all-time list on her second pitch of the year leading to a 4-1 lead for the Scarlet Knights at the end of one.
• In game two, a 14-5 win over Indiana State,  Kyleigh Sand ended the night going 3-for-5 with five runs and three RBIs. Sand's five runs scored were the most since Stephanie Huang's five scored in a 22-17 win over Michigan State on April 4, 2015. Sand's and Huang's five runs are the most by a Scarlet Knight in a single game in stats dating back to 2004. Adding to the victory was LA Matthews with another strong performance at the plate also going 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs while adding a pair of runs. Maddie Lawson went 2-for-3 with a career-high three runs and two RBIs. Meanwhile, Katie Wingert's first plate appearance of the game resulted in another two-run home run.  Morgan Smith got the win by tossing 4.0 innings with seven strikeouts while adding a two-RBI double. Georgia Ingle threw the final three innings to garner the save, the third of her career.
• On day two, Katie Wingert added three more home runs and five more RBIs in helping lead Rutgers softball to a 4-0 start with a 10-2 victory over the host Cougars and a 7-4 win against Colgate. Mattie Boyd and Morgan Smith both pitched complete game victories while the Scarlet Knight bats produced 26 hits in the day's two games.
• In the first game of day two RU was down early against Houston with the Cougars taking a 2-0 lead in their first at-bat before Rutgers took the lead in the third scoring 10 unanswered runs. Katie Wingert made it the third-straight game with a dinger and ended the game 3-for-4. Morgan Smith posted her first home run of the season and totaled a team-leading three runs. Altogether, 10 different Scarlet Knights registered a hit. Mattie Boyd registered her second-straight complete game allowing two runs on three hits along with a pair of strikeouts to improve to 2-0 inside the circle.
• The Scarlet Knights overcame a 4-0 deficit in game two of day two versus Colgate tying up the game in the top of the fifth and getting three runs in the sixth to take the lead. Katie Wingert helped Rutgers come from behind with a 3-for-3 performance including a pair of home runs and three RBIs to move into a tie for second-all time at Rutgers. Morgan Smith got the win inside the circle tossing a complete game with six strikeouts to up her mark to 2-0 while going 3-for-3 at the plate with her first home run of the season. Kyleigh Sand and LA Matthews also had a pair of hits in the win.
• Rutgers dropped the finale, a 6-3 decision, to Houston. Kayla Bock led RU going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, while Katie Wingert was 1-for-4 with a double. Georgia Ingle made her first career start going 3.2 innings.

B1G AWARDS

• Katie Wingert was named Big Ten Player of the Week and Louisville Slugger/Wilson Selected Top Performer on Feb. 13 after helping Rutgers to a 4-1 opening weekend hitting .444 with five home runs going long in four of five games to move into second all-time at Rutgers in home runs. She also added eight hits, five runs and 10 RBIs and held down a 1.333 slugging percentage in wins over Houston, Colgate and Indiana State.
• Wingert opened the weekend taking her second pitch of the 2024 season deep for a two-run shot and a lead RU would not relinquish in a 9-1 run-rule victory over Colgate.
• Game two saw Wingert with a 3-run blast in her first plate appearance in RU's 14-5 win over Indiana State.
• The home runs continued for Wingert on day two with three total. She went 3-for-4 smacking her first pitch of the third inning over the wall to give Rutgers the lead at 3-2 in the eventual 10-2 victory versus weekend host Houston. Wingert followed with two more dingers in the game that immediately followed in a 7-4 victory over Colgate. Wingert initiated RU's comeback from a four-run deficit with a solo long ball in the third. After RU took the lead in the sixth, Wingert added some cushion with a two-run bomb.
• Her streak of home runs marked the second time Katie Wingert has had at least three consecutive games with home runs. She also went over the fence in consecutive games against Tennessee Tech on March 9, 2018 and Saint Joseph's on March 15, 2019 in her freshman campaign.
• This marks Winger's second Big Ten Weekly Award. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week back on April 19, 2019 after hitting three home runs and driving six during a Big Ten series sweep of Penn State.

PRESEASON PRIMER

• The Rutgers softball team returns 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, and adds seven newcomers to this year's roster. 
• A year ago, Rutgers picked up a 30-win season for the first time since 1994 ending the year at 32-25 overall with its best start since 1980.
• The Scarlet Knights captured its first top-25 victory since 2012 with a win over #18/19 Northwestern, a team that ultimately reached the NCAA Super Regionals.
• RU opened the year at 8-0 for the first time in 43 seasons and finished the nonconference schedule at 23-11.
• The squad returned to the Big Ten Tournament behind a victory over No. 18/19 and Big Ten champion Northwestern, along with Big Ten series sweeps of Illinois and Maryland.
• The Scarlet Knights earned five conference post-season honors with three named Second Team All-Big along with nods to third baseman Payton Lincavage, outfielder/pitcher Morgan Smith and shortstop Kyleigh Sand. Smith was also named Big Ten All-Defense. Morgan Smith and Kyleigh Sand were also named All-Region honorees
• Payton Lincavage was bestowed the prestigious Rawlings Golden Glove Award as the nation's top third baseman having committed only one error the entire season.

ABOUT CAMPBELL

Head Coach: Trena Prater (LSU '03) - 189-265 Overall (ninth season)/47-29 at Campbell (second season)
2024 Record: 5-11

All-Time Series: Rutgers trails 2-3 (Last Meeting: W, 3-0 - February 27, 2007)

Top Camels:
Batting

• Lindsay Lumsden - .400 BA, 6 runs, 14 hits, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 4 RBIs
• Charlie Montgomery - .313 BA, 9 runs, 15 hits, 1 double, 5 RBIs
• Tristin Doster - .282 BA, 4 runs, 11 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 8 RBIs

Pitching

• Megan Gregory - 0-3 W-L, 2.51 ERA, 1 CG, 22.1 IP, 6 Ks
• Hannah Leirer - 1-5 W-L, 2.23 ERA, 2 CG, 43.1 IP, 27 Ks
• Isabella Smith - 4-3 W-L, 3.25 ERA, 2 CG, 32.1 IP, 39 Ks

ABOUT UNC

Head Coach: Megan Smith Lyon (UNC '99) - 487-296 Overall (16th season)/13-2 at UNC (first season)

Palmer (UC San Diego '07) - 210-295 Overall (11th season)/ 165-168 at UC Riverside (8th season)
2024 Record: 13-2

All-Time Series: Rutgers Trails 1-5 (Last Meeting: L, 3-5 - March 3, 2007)

Top Tar Heels:
Batting

• Kate Bubela - .600 BA, 4 runs, 15 hits, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
• Alex Coleman - .583 BA, 15 runs, 2 doubles, 1 HR, 5 RBIs
• Sanaa Thompson - .575 BA, 17 runs, 23 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR, 12 RBIs

Pitching

• Kenna Raye Dark - 3-0 W-L, 1.02 ERA, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 20.2 IP, 24 Ks
• Britton Rogers - 5-0 W-L, 2.39 ERA, 3 CG, 1 shutout, 26.1 IP, 31 Ks
• Nikki Harris - 2-1 W-L, 1.68 ERA, 1 CG, 16.2 IP, 23 Ks

ABOUT LAFAYETTE

Head Coach: Karavin Dew (Western Kentucky '13) - 10-44-1 Overall (second season)/10-44-1 at Lafayette (second season)
2024 Record: 2-8

All-Time Series: Rutgers Leads 14-0 (Last Meeting: May 1, 2013 - W, 7-0 & W, 8-0)

Top Leopards:
Batting

• Regan Dillon - .440 BA, 3 runs, 11 hits, 4 doubles, 2 RBIs
• Mary Grace O'Neill - .353 BA, 6 runs, 12 hits, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 RBIs
• Maggie Klug - .182 BA, 2 runs, 5 hits, 1 RBI

Pitching

• Morrigan Gardiner - 0-3 W-L, 4.52 ERA, 2 CG, 21.2 IP, 13 Ks
• Jacqueline Cal - 1-1 W-L, 5.65 ERA, 1 CG, 1 shutout, 17.1 IP, 7 Ks
• Kailee Sawai - 1-3 W-L, 6.75 ERA, 1 CG, 18.2 IP, 15 Ks, 

ABOUT RIDER

Head Coach: Davon Ortega (Lehigh '02) - 257-314-1 Overall (14th season)/95-167-1 at Rider (seventh season)
2024 Record: 3-2

All-Time Series: Rutgers leads 32-14 (Last Meeting: March 3, 2014 - W, 10-0)

Top Broncs:
Batting

• Tristen Wren - .417 BA, 2 runs, 5 hits, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs
• Jessie Niegocki - .412 BA, 3 runs, 7 hits, 2 doubles, 3 RBIs
• Kendall Red-Fehsal - .400 BA, 1 run, 6 hits, 3 doubles, 3 RBIs

Pitching

• Kathryn Schmierer - 1-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA, 1 CG, 9.2 IP, 4 Ks
• Jadeyn Merrill - 2-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA, 8.2 IP, 10 Ks
• Fallyn Stoeckel - 0-2 W-L, 4.20 ERA, 5.0 IP 2 Ks

 

UP NEXT

The Rutgers softball team heads back to California for a 10-day spring break trip. The Scarlet Knights will play in Fresno State's tournament meeting the host Bulldogs along with Nevada and facing Mary Nutter opponent CSUN. RU will also have midweek games with future Big Ten opponent #19 UCLA as well as Cal Baptist and close out the trip with a series at San Diego

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