EAST LANSING, Mich. – The 2024 edition of the Rutgers softball team continued to add to its list of milestones in Saturday's 9-4 victory at Michigan State for a 2-0 series lead.

The victory upped RU's overall mark to 31-19 overall and 12-7 in Big Ten play marking the most Big Ten victories since joining the league in the 2014-15 academic year.

The win also gave the Scarlet Knights their fifth Big Ten series win of the year, marking the most since joining the conference 10 seasons ago.

Kyleigh Sand became the second Scarlet Knight to set a new season record this year to become RU's runs leader with 59. Morgan Smith reset the single-season RBI record during the Maryland series on April 10.

Additionally, RU's 16 hits were the most by the squad since March of 2022.

Rutgers 9, Michigan State 4

• Kyleigh Sand scored three runs to become RU's season runs leader surpassing the former record of 58 set by Jackie Bates in 2015. In 50 games, Sand has crossed home plate 59 times. The senior Scarlet Knight was 2-for-4 on the day including her second home run of the season. She is now three runs away from surpassing Karen Pelkey (1995-99) at RU's career runs record holder. 
• LA Matthews tied her career-high with three RBIs. She went 3-for-5, including a two-run single and RBI double, and a run scored. Matthews also posted a trio of runs batted in the 14-5 victory over Indiana State back on March 9 and last weekend in the 6-1 series finale at Minnesota on April 21. 
• Leilani Chavez went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run.
• Jillian Anderson recorded an RBI on a sac fly along with a run scored.
• Megan Herka added an RBI base hit as a pinch hitter.
• Mattie Boyd improved to 18-7 in the circle striking our three Spartans in her five innings of work.
• Morgan Smith, who was 2-for-5 at the plate with an RBI double, finished out the final two innings also striking out a trio.
• RU's 16 hits were the most by the squad since registering 16 its against Saint Peter's back on March, 18, 2022.

• Two Scarlet Knight hits and two Spartans errors led to a two-run lead for Rutgers after an inning and a half. Leilani Chavez and Maddie Lawson both singled and Lauren Punk reached on an error on her bunt to load the bases. While Kayla Bock hit into a fielder's choice denying Chavez's chance to put RU onto the scoreboard, Jillian Anderson plated Lawson on a sac fly to center. With two outs, the side looked as if it were going to be retired but a bobble at first allowed Kyleigh Sand to reach and Punk to score for the 2-0 edge.
• Michigan State's Hannah Hawley put her squad on the scoreboard with a solo home run to center in the top of the third.
• The Spartans went in front in the bottom of the fourth off a walk and two hits. Mik Anthony walked and Anna Fox singled with both Spartans advancing on a wild pitch. The two then scored on a Jenae single up the middle for the hosts to go up 3-2.
• Rutgers, however, quickly took back the lead on their next appearance at the plate. Sand led off taking a 1-1- pitch over the wall in center to knot the score at 3-3. Morgan Smith singled to center with Kobie Hura taking over duties at first. Hera advanced to a fly out from Katie Wingert and an infield hit by Chavez before putting RU back on top by stealing home. Chavez, meanwhile, advanced on a wild pitch and stole third before pinch hitter Megan Herka brought her home on a single to left for a 5-3 RU edge.
• The Scarlet Knights added two more in the sixth on an LA Matthews base hit to right. Both Jillian Anderson and Sand scored on the play as Sand's run moved her into a tie for Rutgers' single-season runs record.
• Michigan State added a run in the bottom of the sixth on a Wash sac fly to trail 7-4.
• Rutgers countered by pushing across two in their final at-bat with Matthews and Morgan registering back-to-back RBI doubles with two outs with Matthews clearing the way for Sand to become the Rutgers single-season runs queen.

• Rutgers softball wraps up the series at Michigan State on Sunday, April 28 at 1 p.m.