PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Big Ten action continues for Rutgers softball this weekend with a three-game series at Penn State.

Due to impending inclement weather, the Scarlet Knights will play a doubleheader on Friday, April 4 with game three of the series to be played either Saturday, April 5 or Sunday, April 6. Stay tuned to ScarletKnights.com for updated schedule information as it is available.
 

SERIES INFO

 

Opponent/Location:	at Penn State State College, Pa.| Beard Field
Game Notes:	Rutgers | Penn State
Statistics:	Rutgers | Penn State |  Big Ten
Live Stats & Video:	*** SCHEDULE UPDATED AS OF 3/3 - 8 p.m.*** Friday, April 4 - 4 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. B1G+ | Live Stats Saturday, April 5 - 3 p.m. B1G+  | Live Stats
Social Media:	Facebook | X | Instagram

        

ABOUT RUTGERS

Head Coach: Kristen Butler (Florida '06) - 257-296 overall (11th Season) /153-174 at Rutgers (Seventh Season)
2025 Record:  16-21, 1-6 Big Ten

Top Scarlet Knights:
Batting

• Jillian Anderson - .366 BA, 17 runs, 35 hits, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 14 RBIs
• LA Matthews - .311 BA, 9 runs, 32 hits, 6 doubles, 3 HRs, 30 RBIs
• Riley Hwang - .308 BA, 7 runs, 8 hits, 1 RBI
• Bailey Briggs - .287 BA, 13 runs, 31 hits, 1 double, 11 RBIs

Pitching

• Ella Harrison - 10-10 W-L, 2.03 ERA, 12 CG, 4 shutouts, 117.0 IP, 149 Ks
• Laurelai DePew - 0-1 W-L, 5.85 ERA,  1 save, 20.1 IP, 17 Ks
• Dezaria Johnson - 1-0 W-L, 6.54 ERA, 1 CG, 1 save, 20.1 IP, 3 Ks
• Kelsey Hoekstra - 5-9 W-L, 6.16 ERA, 3 CG, 61.1 IP, 27 Ks 

 

ABOUT PENN STATE

Head Coach: Clarisa Crowell (Virginia Tech '02') - 329-292 overall (13th Season)/120-110 at Penn State (Fifth Season)
2025 Record: 15-18, 2-5 Big Ten

All-Time Series: Penn State Leads 39-30 (Last Meeting: May 4, 2024 - W, 9-5 & W, 5-3)

Top Nittany Lions:
Batting

• Brooke Klosowicz - .484 BA, 33 runs, 45 hits, 16 doubles, 2 triples, 8 HRs, 30 RBIs
• Haylie Brunson - .383 BA, 26 runs, 41 hits, 11 doubles, 1 triple 9 HRs, 30 RBIs
• Natalie Lieto - .370 BA, 28 runs, 34 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 7 HRs, 22 RBIs

Pitching

• Mady Volpe - 6-9 W-L, 3.50 ERA, 3 shutouts, 78.0 IP, 45 Ks
• Abigail Britton - 4-8 W-L, 6.14 ERA, 1 CG, 3 shutouts, 5 saves, 70.2 IP, 54 Ks
• Lydia Spalding - 3-1 W-L, 6.92 ERA, 4 CG, 28.1 IP, 17 Ks

OREGON  RECAP

• The Scarlet Knights are back on the road after hosting Oregon for a two-game series last weekend in the first-ever Big Ten match up between the two squads. The No. 6 Ducks swept as RU made it back-to-back weekends with the new members of the conference having played at Washington the previous weekend. 
• Against Oregon, freshman Kelsey Hoesktra and senior Laurelai DePew got starts in the circle with Georgia Ingle and Dezaria Johnson each seeing time in both games. DePew collected a trio of strikeouts in her 2.1 innings of work.
• At the plate against the top ten Ducks, senior Jillian Anderson went 2-for-4, while graduate student LA Matthews notched her third home run of the season, freshman Allison Amadio swung for her first career triple and Jayla Fuller registered an RBI double.  

WEST COAST RECAP

• The Scarlet Knights went .500 in their spring break west coast trip weekend. During the midweek nonconference portion of  the trip, RU secured a 4-2 victory at Oregon State and a 8-6 win at Portland State before dropping a doubleheader at Washington in the first Big Ten meeting between the two schools. 
• Freshman right-hander Ella Harrison got the start against the Beavers going 4.1 innings, allowing no runs and two hits. She racked up six strikeouts en route to improving her record to 10-9 on the year. Senior Laurelai DePew closed the game throwing the final 1.1 innings, giving up one hit while fanning a trio of Beavers. Graduate student LA Matthews, junior Siera Hoekstra and Gaelen Kelly all picked up RBIs. Freshmen Riley Hwang and Baileigh Burtis were both 2-for-4 with Burtis scoring a run.
• Freshman right-hander Kelsey Hoekstra got the win to up her mark to 5-7 on the season. She totaled 6.1 innings of work giving up three runs on five hits while fanning four Vikings. Leadoff Jillian Anderson and fellow veteran Scarlet Knight LA Matthews were both 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Anderson also plated twice. Redshirt sophomore Bailey Briggs added an RBI on a sac fly, while freshmen Jayla Fuller and Addie Osborne also contributed RBIs.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

• Ella Harrison picked several honors after her performance at the Bob Heck Invitational. After being named the Big Ten Pitcher and Freshman Of the Week, the Scarlet Knight right-hander was named Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week by the NFCA and National Pitcher of the Week by D1Softball.
• The Clarence, New York native becomes the first Scarlet Knight to earn national pitcher of the week recognition from both organizations.
• Harrison collected 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 and holding the opposition to a .095 batting average. The rookie Scarlet Knight has allowed no earned runs in her last 33 innings pitched.
• The freshman 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 over 100 strikeouts on the year. 
• Harrison added another shutout in a 1-0 win over West Georgia, striking out eight and allowing no walks.
• The Scarlet Knight 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 Panthers.

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.

MARYLAND SERIES RECAP

• In game one with the Terps, the Scarlet Knights picked up a 5-1 victory. Rookie Ella Harrison went the distance for the 11th time in 2025 to improve to 9-7 inside the circle. She hurled a trio of strikeouts and is now one shy of entering the season top ten "On The Banks". She gave up only two hits and no earned runs and walked two Terps. Freshman Addie Osborne scored a pair of runs along with redshirt sophomore Bailey Briggs and freshmen Kelsie Riggan and Jayla Fuller crossing home plate. Freshman Baileigh Burtis made it back-to-back multiple RBI games driving in a pair of runs in the fifth inning.
• Maryland evened the series on Saturday taking a 4-1 victory. Rutgers captured its lone run off junior Siera Hoekstra's second home run of the season. Senior Jillian Anderson was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles. Osborne also captured a double. Harrison went the distance allowing one earned run on five hits while striking out eight. Her streak of unearned runs came to a close in the seventh inning on the Terps' fourth and final run ending a streak of 48 consecutive innings. 
• Maryland took the series on Sunday with an 11-7 win.  Graduate student LA Matthews was 2-for-4 with a home run and two-run double for a career-high four RBIs. Freshman Jayden Hutchison was 2-for-2 with an RBI.  Anderson also added a run scored and run batted in.
  Redshirt sophomore Bailey Briggs also contributed a pair of runs with freshmen Kelsie Riggan and Jayla Fuller also coming across home plate in the loss. Inside the circle, freshman Kelsey Hoekstra got the start, giving up six runs on six hits in 1.2 innings of work. Harrison was the pitcher of record going four innings allowing four earned runs with four strikeouts. 

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.

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

The Scarlet Knights will host Lehigh in a midweek contest on Tuesday, April 8 before heading out on the road for another Big Ten road clash. Rutgers will take on Michigan on April 12-14 with Monday April 14th's contest airing on BTN.