Rutgers softball drops 3 out of 4 to Penn State
On Saturday, the Rutgers softball team finished its weekend series against Penn State, taking 1 of 4 games. The Scarlet Knights (6-18, 6-18) took the first game of the series on Friday but then proceeded to drop the following three games against the Nittany Lions (4-19, 4-19).
Rutgers started its series doubleheader in University Park, Pennsylvania with a 3-2 win. The game was scoreless for the first four innings before freshman infielder Kayla Bock hit a two-run double at the top of the fifth inning to give the Knights a 2-0 lead.
Penn State was able to tack on a run at the bottom of the fifth inning, but in the top of the sixth, graduate student utility player Anyssa Iliopoulos hit her second home run of the season to bring the lead back up to 2. The Nittany Lions scored another run in the bottom of the seventh, but Rutgers was able to hold on for the 3-2 win.
Sophomore pitcher Ashley Hitchcock earned her fourth win of the season, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing 1 run on two hits. Sophomore pitcher Jaden Vickers also had a good game coming in for Hitchcock in the sixth to close out the game. The game was the team's sixth straight win against Penn State.
The second game of the doubleheader started well for the Knights as they notched 2 runs in the top of the first thanks to back-to-back doubles from Iliopoulos and sophomore infielder/catcher Kiersten Withstandley. From there, the game belonged to the Nittany Lions, as they scored 7 straight runs in the first two innings.
Rutgers was able to get a run back in the top of the third on an RBI groundout from Iliopoulos, but Penn State only furthered its lead, with 2 runs in the fifth and 1 run in the sixth to win the game 10-3.
Graduate student pitcher Izzy Berouty struck out two in 1.1 innings pitched. Despite the loss, sophomore infielder Payton Lincavage continued her good season going 2-4 and scoring a run. Withstandley went 2-2 with an RBI.
On Saturday, the Knights participated in another doubleheader against the Nittany Lions to conclude the series. In the first game, Penn State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. From there, both teams traded runs, and the Nittany Lions won 4-2.
Rutgers had a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth on a single from Iliopoulos, but graduate student utility player Gabrielle Callaway was thrown out at the plate. Hitchcock got the start for the Knights pitching four innings and allowing three runs and got four strikeouts. In the loss, graduate student outfielder Hailey Hoklotubbe went 2-3 and scored a run.
In the final game of the series, Penn State came from behind to win the game 4-3 and win the series. Rutgers started the game well, scoring 2 runs in the top of the third and 1 run in the top of the fourth to take a 3-0 lead going into the fifth inning. In the fifth, the Nittany Lions got a run back and then scored 3 more runs on three hits in the bottom of the sixth to complete the comeback. The Knights were not able to strike back in the top of the seventh.
Berouty got the start, pitching 5.1 innings and not allowing a hit till the fourth inning. Overall, she allowed 1 run on three hits. Lincavage had another strong game going 2-3 with a run. Both Lincavage and Hoklotubbe shined in the series, hitting .385 and .333 respectively.
Rutgers will look to bounce back when it comes home to play Wisconsin starting this Saturday.
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