Softball Opens B1G Play Hosting Maryland

Friday, March 14

Piscataway, N.J.

3:00 PM

Rutgers University

Maryland

Ella Harrison and Gaelen Kelly chat inside the circle during the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, California

Mar 13 | Softball

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Conference play is here for the Rutgers softball team. The Scarlet Knights open Big Ten play on Friday with a three-game series against Maryland.

SERIES INFO

Opponent/Location:	vs. Maryland Piscataway, N.J. \| RU Softball Complex Admission: Free
Parking:	Register To Park
Game Notes:	Rutgers \| Maryland
Statistics:	Ru tgers \| Maryland \| Big Ten
Live Stats & Video:	Friday, March 14 - 3 p.m. B1G+ \| Live Stats Saturday, March 15 - 3 p.m. B1G+ \| Live Stats Sunday, March 16 - 1 p.m. B1G+ \| Live Stats
Social Media:	Facebook \| X \| Instagram

ABOUT RUTGERS

Head Coach: Kristen Butler (Florida '06) - 254-290 overall (11th Season) /150-168 at Rutgers (Seventh Season)
2025 Record: 13-15

Top Scarlet Knights:
Batting

Jillian Anderson - .371 BA, 14 runs, 26 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 11 RBIs
LA Matthews - .325 BA, 5 runs, 26 hits, 5 doubles, 1 HR, 20 RBIs
Bailey Briggs - .313 BA, 9 runs, 26 hits, 10 RBIs

Pitching

Ella Harrison - 8-7 W-L, 1.78 ERA, 10 CG, 4 shutouts, 912. IP, 124 Ks
Dezaria Johnson - 1-0 W-L, 2.00 ERA, 1 CG, 1 save, 17.0 IP, 2 Ks
Kelsey Hoekstra - 4-7 W-L, 4.82 ERA, 2 CG, 45.0 IP, 19 Ks

ABOUT MARYLAND

Head Coach: Lauren Karn (St. Joesph's '08) - 155-166 overall (Eighth Season)/34-41 at Maryland (Second Season)
2025 Record: 10-11

All-Time Series: Rutgers Leads 13-10 (Last Meeting: April 10, 2024 - W, 9-0 (5) & W, 7-6)

Top Terps:
Batting

Bailey Murphy - .395 BA, 3 runs, 15 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 5 RBIs
Mazie MacFarlane - .348 BA, 14 runs, 24 hits, 9 doubles, 8 RBIs
Sam Bean - .322 BA, 8 runs, 19 hits, 2 doubles, 2 HRs, 12 RBIs

Pitching

Bri Godfrey - 2-3 W-L, 4.20 ERA, 2 CG, 46.2 IP, 25 Ks
Julia Shearer - 3-3 W-L, 5.30 ERA, 3 CG, 2 shutouts, 33.0 IP, 22 Ks
Aubrey Wurst - 3-2 W-L, 5.88 ERA, 2 CG, 2 shutouts, 25.0 IP, 29 Ks

BOB HECK MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT RECAP

Rutgers went 3-1 on its final nonconference weekend which included a trio of shutouts. RU split with North Dakota taking game one 1-0 behind Ella Harrison's first career no-hitter before the Fighting Hawks came back to take game two, 11-3, in six innings. The Scarlet Knights also picked up a 1-0 win over West Georgia and an 8-0 run-rule victory over host Georgia State.
Harrison captured three complete-game shutouts, including her first career no-hitter, in her three appearances at the Bob Heck Memorial Tournament and finished the weekend with a 0.00 ERA. She gave up six hits, none for extra bases, seven walks while striking out 34. The rookie Scarlet Knight has allowed no earned runs in her last 33 innings pitched. The right-hander captured a no-hitter in a 1-0 win over North Dakota behind a career-high 16 strikeouts, the most by an RU pitcher since Jaden Vickers' 17 on April 29, 2022 and surpassed the 100 season K mark. Harrison added another shutout in a 1-0 win over West Georgia, striking out eight and allowing no walks. Harrison made her fourth consecutive shutout and sixth game this season in double-figure strikeouts in an 8-0 win over host Georgia State. She gave up two hits, one walk, while fanning 10.
At the plate, RU was led by Jillian Anderson and Kelsie Riggan going 4-for-12 combined to hit .333 on the weekend. Anderson captured a double, plated four runs and collected a pair of RBIs. Riggan, meanwhile, connected for her first collegiate home run with a two-run shot in the finale with Georgia State along with a double and three RBIs.
Kelsie Hoekstra saw five at-bats with a pair of hits, including a two-run double against the host Panthers.
LA Matthews swung .308 with four hits, a double and a trio of runs batted in.

JANE B. MOORE MEMORIAL RECAP

Rutgers took on its fourth nationally ranked SEC opponent of the year and picked up its second shutout of the season at the Jane B. Moore Memorial hosted by No. 19 Auburn.
The Scarlet Knights dropped both games on day one against Louisiana and the No. 19 Tigers by 5-0 scores. In the second game of the weekend with the Ragin' Cajuns, RU came back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game up at 3-3 heading into the sixth inning before the opposition pushed across two more for the win. In the first of two meetings on the weekend with McNeese State, it was a 2-2 ball game heading into the final inning before the Cowgirls scored the go-ahead run on a miscue.
Rutgers softball closed play on Sunday with a season-high in hits and double-digit strikeouts in a 7-0 shutout of McNeese State. The Scarlet Knights captured 11 hits while freshman right-hander Ella Harrison went the distance for the seventh time this season for her first career shutout, tying her career mark with 11 strikeouts, including a streak of seven consecutive Ks.

MARY NUTTER RECAP

The Scarlet Knights are coming off their second consecutive appearance at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Out in Cathedral, California, RU went 2-4, facing a trio of top-25 SEC opposition and picking up wins over Bethune-Cookman and UC Riverside.
Freshman right-hander Ella Harrison struck out 29 across her three appearances and 17.2 innings pitched marking the most strikeouts of any pitcher during Mary Nutter. She only gave up two extra-base hits and held down a 1.58 ERA. Harrison had double-figure strikeouts in two of her three appearances including 10 against No. 22 Missouri and a career-high 11 against Oregon State.
Also in the circle, freshman Kelsey Hoekstra sent down five on strikes against UC Riverside in the final game of the week, while fellow freshman Dezaria Johnson made her first appearance and picked up a save in the victory over Bethune-Cookman.
Offensively, Jayla Fuller got her first career start in left field in the finale against UC Riverside that saw the rookie go 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and pair of RBIs along with a run scored.
Three other bats hit over .300, including freshman Riley Hwang, redshirt freshman Stephanie Kraska and senior Jililan Anderson. Anderson collected five hits and a pair of RBIs.

B1G PITCHER OF THE WEEK

Freshman right-hander Ella Harrison collected three complete game victories at the Lion Invitational last week for a 1.00 ERA with 26 strikeouts over 21.0 innings pitched to earn Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Week honors alongside Nebraska's Jordy Bahl. Harrison held opponents to a .195 batting average and three earned runs.
Harrison earned her first victory of the year as RU downed SIUE, 9-3, going the distance and allowing only one earned run on six hits while fanning eight in her first collegiate victory.
She followed tossing nine strikeouts and no earned runs in a 2-1 win over Abilene Christian, holding the Wildcats to four hits, none for extra bases.
In the Lion Invite finale with host East Texas A&M, Harrison made it three consecutive complete-game victories in the 4-2 win. She hurled nine strikeouts for the second straight game

LION INVITATIONAL RECAP WEEKEND RECAP

The Scarlet Knights went 4-1 at the Lion Invitational in week two of the season. RU opened with a 9-3 victory over SIUE and the first shutout of the year in a 7-0 win over host East Texas A&M on day one. Picked up a 2-1 win over Abilene Christian to start off day two before falling 4-1 in the second meeting with SIUE. RU, however, rebounded with another victory of ETAMU, 4-2, on the final day.
In the circle, Ella Harrison wen, combining for a 1.00 ERA with 26 strikeouts over 21.0 innings pitched while keeping opponents to a .195 batting average and three earned runs. Kelsey Hoesktra was 1-1 with a 1.56 ERA and shared the shutout over East Texas A&M.
At the plate, Jillian Anderson hit .500 with six hits in 12 at-bats, driving in four runs while scoring three runs. LA Matthews batted .438,going 7-for-16, with a home run and pair of doubles resulting in 4 RBIs and two runs scored. Bailey Briggs also accounted for four runs batted in and came across the plate three times.

SPRING GAMES WEEKEND RECAP

The Scarlet Knights opened up the 2025 campaign last weekend at The Spring Games in Leesburg, Florida. Rutgers opened the season with a 6-2 victory over defending Horizon League Champion Cleveland State before falling 8-1 to MTSU,
Veterans Jillian Anderson and LA Matthews both hit .333 with five hits, including a double on the weekend. Matthews recorded three RBIs while Anderson sent home a pair of Scarlet Knight base runners. Redshirt sophomore Bailey Briggs logged five hits with a pair of RBIs.
Redshirt freshman Hailey Stripling made her RU debut and finished out the weekend with three RBIs, four runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Stripling was responsible for three of RU's six runs in the 6-3 season-opening victory over Cleveland State.
Inside the circle, freshman Ella Harrison made three appearances with 14.2 innings pitched with 15 strikeouts, including 10 in her Scarlet Knight debut against MTSU. Her double-digit strikeouts marked the most by a rookie hurler since Jaden Vickers in 2020.
Classmate Kelsey Hoekstra got the start and the win against Cleveland State and went the distance in Sunday's game with Liberty and totaled 13.0 innings on the weekend with five earned runs allowed.
Seniors Georgia Ingle and Laurelai DePew also saw time in relief. DePew threw the final inning in the win against the Vikings and struck out two. Ingle made three trips to the circle, including both games with Liberty as well as Louisville. Ingled totaled 4.1 innings of work with one earned run allowed.
This season, Rutgers softball boasts a youthful squad with 12 newcomers, including Witchita State transfer shortstop Siera Hoekstra along with 11 true freshman. Five members of the freshman class were named to Softball America's Freshmen To Watch list - Infielders Addie Osborne and Baileigh Burtis and pitchers Ella Harrison, Kelsey Hoekstra and Dezaria Johnson.
Graduate student first baseman LA Matthews, senior outfielder Jillian Anderson and freshman right-handed pitcher Ella Harrison were named Big Ten Players to Watch .
Also returning to the roster for the 2025 campaign are senior left-handed reliever and designated player Georgia Ingle, senior right-handed pitcher Laurelai DePew, junior catcher Gaelen Kelly, redshirt sophomore infielder Bailey Briggs along with redshirt freshmen Stephanie Kraska and Hailey Stripling.

B1G PLAYERS TO WATCH

A trio of Scarlet Knights were lauded by the Big Ten as Players To Watch in 2025.
Graduate student LA Matthews begins her second season after starting all 55 games last season for the Scarlet Knights, primarily at first base. She hit .306 in a season that saw RU go 33-22 overall for the Scarlet Knights' second consecutive 30-win season and finish third in the Big Ten regular season standings, RU's best finish since joining the conference in 2014. Matthews totaled 56 hits and 34 runs on 13 doubles, a trio of triples and a home run. She also racked up 34 RBIs, including four contests with three runs batted in.
Jillian Anderson, also entering her second season at Rutgers, having patrolled the outfield in all 55 games a year ago. Her prowess robbed opponents from home runs and she committed no errors with 60 putouts for a perfect fielding percentage playing both in left and center. At the plate, Anderson batted .288 with 38 hits, 25 runs scored, three doubles and 12 RBIs.
Ella Harrison is in her first season "On The Banks". A member of the Softball America Freshman To Watch List, Harrison comes to Rutgers having earned 2023 New York State Class AA Player of the Year honors at Clarence High School. During her junior campaign she threw 134 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched with a 1.50 ERA while hitting .382 with 19 singles, six doubles and a triple. Additionally, she pitched 11 innings in a state championship shutout.

SOFTBALL AMERICA FRESHMAN TO WATCH

Five members of Rutgers landed on Softball America's Freshmen To Watch list in January.
Addie Osborne, an infielder from Erie, Colorado, was the 2023 5A State and Conference Player of the Year. During scholastic career, she hit .452 with 134 runs, 131 hits, 160 RBIs , 38 home runs, .993 slugging percentage and 1.509 OPS. She hit .518 as a senior behind 41 runs, 44 hits, 58 RBIs and 19 home run, 1.305 slugging percentage and 1.890 OPS
Baileigh Burtis, a fellow infielder from Friendswood, Texas was a two-time First Team All-State, three-time First Team All-District and three-time First Team All-County selection. She hit .438 as a senior with 15 doubles, seven triples, and one home run and holds the Friendswood High School Single Season Doubles (15) and Career Doubles (42) records.
Ella Harrison, a right-handed hurler from Clarence, New York, earned 2023 New York State Class AA Player of the Year honors. During her junior campaign she threw 134 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched with a 1.50 ERA while hitting .382 with 19 singles, six doubles and a triple. Additionally, she pitched 11 innings in a state championship shutout.
Kelsey Hoekstra, also a right-handed pitcher coming in from Overland Park, Kansas, was the 2023 Sunflower League Pitcher of the Year as well as a two-time First Team All-State and three-time All-League pick. She helped her 20-2 squad to the state quarterfinals and picked up strikeouts in 112 innings pitched with a 1.00 ERA and hit .476 with 21 runs along the way.
Dezaria Johnson, another right-hander inside the circle hailing from Covington, Georgia, ranked No. 20 in 2024 Extra Elite 100. She was a two-time 8AAAAA All-Region selection, two-time Pitcher of the Year and the 2022 Region Pitcher of the Year.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST SEASON

A year ago, Rutgers captured back-to-back 30-win seasons for the first time in program history, a program record for Big Ten victories and Big Ten series wins and the highest Big Ten Tournament seed since joining the league in 2015.
The Scarlet Knights set a total of 11 school records - six career (Payton Lincavage - at bats; Kyleigh Sand - batting average, runs; Katie Wingert - home runs, RBIs, walks), four team season (runs, RBIs, walks and total bases) and two individual season (Kyleigh Sand - runs & Morgan Smith - RBIs) along with 23 career top 10 entries.
Former Scarlet Knight Morgan Smith became the first RU player to earn NFCA All-America distinction with a second-team selection along with first-team honors from Softball America, in addition to being named ECAC Player of the Year. Additionally, three Scarlet Knights were named to NFCA All-Region and All-Big Ten squads in Smith, Sand and Mattie Boyd. After the season Smith and Sand both signed professional contracts following the season and are currently playing professionally in Mexico.

UP NEXT

Rutgers softball heads to the west coast for spring break. The Scarlet Knights will travel to Oregon State on Tuesday, March 18 and Portland State on Wednesday, March 19 before heading to Washington to meet the Huskies for Big Ten contests on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22.

Follow Rutgers softball on Facebook, X and Instagram.

- RU -