Photo by: Matthew Richards
Kelsey Hoekstra Delivers 17 Strikeouts In B1G Opening Win Over Maryland In Extras
Mar 06 | Softball
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – It was a marathon start to the Big Ten season for Rutgers softball. But after three hours and 51 minutes and 12 innings, the Scarlet Knights topped Maryland, 6-5.
Kelsey Hoekstra delivered 17 strikeouts, tying for the most by a pitcher in D1 this season. Brooke Shifflett added another five Ks in the start as the staff totaled 22 total strikeouts, the most in a game in any division this year.
Rutgers improved to 10-9 on the year and 1-0 in the Big Ten.
Rutgers 6, Maryland 5 (12)
| STATISTICALLY SPEAKING |
- Sophomore right-hander Kelsey Hoekstra improved to 3-2 on the season, going 7.2 innings and capturing 17 strikeouts. She gave up five hits and one run. Hoekstra struck out the side in the sixth and with two Terps aboard in the eighth and no outs, sent down the next trio of Maryland batters down swinging. She again struck out the side in the 11th and closed out the game striking out the final two Terps.
- Junior Brooke Shifflett got the start, going 4.1 innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits while fanning five.Senior Siera Hoekstra's RBI single with two outs in the 12th scored sophomore Riley Hwang for the go-ahead run. Hwang plated two runs in the win.
- Junior Sam Rohwer collected a pair of doubles and an RBI, going 2-for-6 on the evening.
- Senior Mia Mitchell was 2-for-5 with an RBI triple.
- Kelsey Hoekstra, sophomore Bailey Burtis and redshirt junior Bailey Briggs all collected RBIs as well.
| THE RUNDOWN |
- Maryland got onto the scoreboard first in the bottom of the third. With two outs and runners on first and second, Sami Woods dropped into right for an RBI base hit.
- Rutgers, however, claimed the lead in their return to the plate in the fourth. Riley Hwang plated the tying run, leading off by getting it by a pitch, advanced to second on a sac bunt from Kelsey Hoesktra and took third on a passed ball. She scored as Mia Mitchell went deep to the right corner for a triple. Bailey Burtis punched in a run two batters later to put RU ahead. While the sophomore Scarlet Knight was out at second trying to take the extra base, Mitchell was able to score to give RU the 2-1 edge.
T4 | Triple Trouble from Mia ties the game 💥#GoRU ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/rV9adXOtyy
— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 6, 2026
- The Terps took back the lead in the bottom of the fifth with three runs on three hits and an error. Two Terps were aboard when Mariah Penta reached on a throwing error with the errant toss giving Maryland the opening to knot the score at 2-2. Zayda Rocke followed with a two-run double, putting the Terps up 4-2.
- The Scarlet Knights struck back in the top of the seventh. Hailey Stripling entered the lineup as a pinch hitter to lead off the top of the seventh with a single to right, advanced to second on a wild pitch and reached third on pinch hitter Samantha Delhoyo's single thru the left side. Sam Rohwer sent both runners home on a full-count double to left center to knot the score at 4-4. After a single to right center from Riley Hwang pushed Rohwer over to third, the runners held on Kelsey Hoekstra's infield single, but the subsequent misfire on the throw pushed across Rohwer for the 5-4 RU lead.
T7 | 👀 Clutch Kelsey#GoRU ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/JrBqUPNuaJ
— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 7, 2026
- Maryland, however, used a solo home run at the bottom of the inning from Anna McGowan to send the game into extras.
- The tie was broken in the top of the 12th. Hwang led off with a walk and advanced into scoring position thanks to Kelsey Hoekstra's sac bunt and came home for the go-ahead run on a Siera Hoekstra single to left.
T12 | Tie broken 👏#GoRU ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/Qu04T8NSMN
— Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) March 7, 2026
| KNIGHT NOTES |
- The 3:51 contest was the longest for the Scarlet Knights since being on the field for a 12-inning, 3:49 contest at Purdue back on Mar. 29, 2022 in a 3-2 setback.
- Kelsey Hoekstra's 17 strikeouts ties for the most by DI pitcher this season. Belmont's Maya Johnson also has 17 against Ohio on Mar. 1 and North Alabama on Feb. 14.
- The 17 strikeouts were also the most by a Scarlet Knight since Jaden Vicker's 17 in the Purdue contest on Mar. 29, 2022.
- Hoekstra's 17 strikeouts were a career-high, besting her previous mark of nine in her season-opening no-hitter over North Central Carolina on Feb. 6.
- The 22 strikeouts as a staff are the most across all three divisions, besting the previous mark of 17 by Belmont against Ohio on Mar. 1 and North Alabama on Feb. 14 in DI, 20 by McKendree against Wisconsin-Parkside on Feb. 27 in DII and 16 by Schriener versus Howard Payne on Feb. 3.
- The 22 total strikeouts are almost the most for the program in a game in records dating back to 2004.
| UP NEXT |
The Rutgers-Maryland series continues on Saturday, March 7 at 2 p.m. at the Maryland Softball Stadium. The game will be streamed on B1G+ with live stats on Statbroadcast.
Follow Rutgers softball on Facebook, X and Instagram.
- RU -
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ Softball
1B/P
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
INF/OF
/ SoftballRutgers Softball Highlights vs. Maryland - Game 1
Saturday, March 07
2025 Rutgers Athletics Hall Of Fame Induction
Tuesday, December 16
Rutgers Athletics Launches the Athletic Excellence Fund
Monday, October 06
2025 Rutgers Softball Big Ten Highlights
Friday, August 08
