Smith batted .500 (6-for-12) across five games with four home runs, 16 RBIs, seven runs scored and a 1.583 slugging percentage in RU's 3-2 week including a series victory over Maryland for the second-straight year. The senior Scarlet Knight also added a pair of sac flies and was 3-for-3 on stolen bases. Smith also made two appearances in the circle tossing six innings with six strikeouts.

In a mid-week doubleheader win at Maryland, Smith finished the series 4-for-5 with a double, two home runs and 10 RBIs. She surpassed Jackie Bates (2015) as RU's single-season RBIs leader and upped her total to 57 on the year. In game one against the Terps, a 7-6 victory, Smith was 2-for-3 with five RBIs off a two-run double and a three-run home run. She followed by delivering a grand slam and collected five more RBIs to become the RU single-season RBI leader in a 9-0 run-rule win.

Smith continued her week totaling two home runs to bring her season total to 19 on the year, along with six RBIs, five runs scored and a 1.143 slugging percentage during the series with Nebraska. The Phoenix, Arizona native collected her 18th long ball of the season in an 8-3 series-opening win over Nebraska marking RU's first win over the Cornhuskers since 2021. Her home run moved into a tie for second on the single-season leaders list alongside teammate Katie Wingert who collected 18 in her freshman season in 2019. The home run also moved her into a tie for sixth on the all-time RU home run leaders list with 23. Smith also added two runs, one off her home run and another on a stolen base. In Saturday's contest, Smith made it her sixth-straight game with a home run collecting number 19 of the year with a three-run shot. It also marked Smith's eighth game this season with three or more RBIs in a contest. She also went four innings inside the circle with five strikeouts. In the extra-inning series finale, Smith produced a league-leading seventh sac fly of the season and came across home twice, including on a stolen base.

On the year, Smith is hitting .449 with 19 home runs, 44 runs, nine doubles, four triples and 63 RBIs. Smith continues to lead the Big Ten and sits in third nationally in home runs behind Karli Spaid with 25 and Jenna Golembiewski with 24 both of Miami (OH). She also upped her RBI total to 63 to lead the Big Ten and sit right behind Jenna Golembiewski of Miami (OH)'s nation-leading 65. Additionally, she leads the Big Ten in hits (61) slugging percentage (.993) and sac flies (7) and is third in batting average (.449) and fourth in on-base percentage (.500) and runs scored (44).

 

 

Smith is the third Scarlet Knight to earn a Big Ten Weekly award in 2024. Katie Wingert was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Feb. 12 after helping Rutgers to a 4-1 opening weekend hitting .444 with eight hits, five home runs, five runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.333 slugging percentage in wins over Houston, Colgate and Indiana State while Mattie Boyd was RU's first Big Ten Pitcher of the Week since 2015 after holding down a 1.17 ERA in 12.0 innings picking up two complete-game victories in the first-ever series win over Wisconsin on April 8.

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