Dog fight: Rutgers softball wins 2 tough games in Bulldog Classic
The Rutgers softball team traveled to Fresno, California, over the weekend to participate in the Bulldog Classic. The Scarlet Knights (15-9, 0-0) fought for two wins in the Bulldog Classic over the last few days to kick off their nine-game West Coast trip.
Day One
Rutgers started the Bulldog Classic with a 7-4 victory over California State University at Northridge
The Knights opened the scoring early with a run-scoring double from graduate student utility player LA Matthews. Senior pitcher and outfielder Morgan Smith drove in Matthews to give Rutgers an early 2-run advantage.
The Knight and Matadors (16-7, 0-0) were deadlocked at 2 runs apiece until the third inning. Rutgers capitalized on a throwing error, scoring 2 runs and taking a 4-2 lead. CSNU would answer back with a two-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game up, eventually sending it to extra innings
The Knights exploded for 3 runs in the top of the eighth inning, propelling them to the victory.
Senior shortstop Kyleigh Sand starred at the plate with four hits as Smith earned the victory in the circle, pitching two scoreless innings. Fifth-year pitcher Mattie Boyd started the game for Rutgers with a solid six-inning performance.
Day Two
On Sunday the Knights faced off against the University of Nevada, falling 6-4 in nine innings.
The Wolf Pack (20-6, 0-0), pounced on Rutgers for 3 runs in the second inning capped off by a two-run triple from Bailie Clark.
In the third inning, Sand answered back with a triple of her own that drove home a run. Matthews earned another run for the Knights with a sacrifice fly to cut the Nevada lead to 3-2. Rutgers tied the game in the sixth inning, capitalizing on a throwing error. For the second straight game, fans were treated to extra innings.
Senior outfielder Kayla Bock drove in a run off of a groundoutto give the Knights the lead in the top of the ninth inning. In the bottom of the inning Rutgers allowed traffic on the basepaths, prompting Aaliyah Jenkins to hit a walk-off three-runhome run.
Boyd pitched 6 innings, gave up 2 earned runs and was charged with the loss for the Knights. Carley Brown picked up the win for the Wolf Pack, allowing no hits and walks and just 1 unearned run in 3.2 innings.
Day Three
Rutgers started day three of the Bulldog Classic with a 7-3 loss to Nevada
The Wolf Pack started the scoring against the Knights with a quick 1-0 lead, but Rutgers answered back with 2 runs of its own in the second inning.
Nevada opened the game up in the third and fourth innings, scoring five runs between the two frames. Taryn Jenkins’ four runs batted in (RBI) helped grow her squad’s lead to 6-2.
The Knights would cut into the lead with an RBI single from Smith, but in the end, the Wolf Pack offense was too much for Rutgers to overcome.
In the final game of the day the Knights dominated Fresno State 10-1.
The Knights got on the board early with a run-scoring single from graduate student infielder Payton Lincavage. Rutgers was held scoreless, though, for three straight innings after the first.
The Knights then exploded for 9 runs over the last three innings of the game, putting up 6 in the top of the seventh inning. Smith paved the way with three hits and 3 RBI.
Defensively, Rutgers’ pitching was dominant as Boyd tossed seven innings of one-run ball, striking out five while in the circle.
The next opportunity for the Knights to extend their winning record will be on Tuesday at 10 p.m. as they take on UCLA in Los Angeles, California.
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