LEESBURG, Fla. – Rutgers softball closed out opening weekend at the Spring Games on Sunday falling 8-4 to Liberty.
 
The Scarlet Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. While the Flames, ranked No. 24 by D1Softball, came back in the second for a 2-1 edge, RU put away three runs off the bats of Stephanie Kraska and Hailey Stripling in the fourth to go back on top. Liberty, however, regained the lead with five runs in the fifth and added another in the sixth for the final score.

Liberty 8, Rutgers 4

• Rutgers collected five hits with redshirt freshmen Hailey Stripling and Stephanie Kraska, along with graduate student LA Matthews, collecting RBIs.
• Stripling and Kraska each registered a run scored with freshmen Riley Hwang and Jayla Fuller and junior Siera Hoekstra coming across home plate.
• Freshman Ella Harrison got the start in the circle going 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on nine hits. Senior Georgia Ingle tossed the final 1.1 facing four Flame batters.

• The Scarlet Knights struck first kicking off the contest with a 1-0 after a half inning of action. After Hailey Stripling led off reaching on an error at third base, the redshirt sophomore was able to score three batters later. LA Matthews hit a chopper in front the plate and the Flames tried to make the play at home but it was Stripling giving RU the early 1-0 edge.
• Liberty took advantage of loading the bases in the bottom of the second. A sac fly from Savannah Jessee and RBI single to left by KK Madrey put the Flames up 2-1.
• Rutgers regained the lead in the top of the fourth as they loaded the bases ultimately resulting in three runs coming across off of base hits up the middle. Stephanie Kraska singled up the middle to score Riley Hwang and Stripling was able to knock in Jayla Fuller and Siera Hoekstra for the 4-2 advantage.
• The Flames, however, countered with five runs on four hits and two errors in the bottom half. Liberty occupied all three bases for a Madrey single thru the left side to send a pair home.
• The inning continued with an RBI single up the middle from Savannah Whatley and two-run single thru the right side by Rachel Roupe to go up 7-4.
• Madrey collected her third hit and fourth RBI of the afternoon in the fifth to push Liberty ahead 8-4.

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