Rutgers softball opens up Big Ten, home play with series win against Ohio State
The Rutgers softball team won its first conference series of the season this weekend against Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights (20-13, 2-1) opened their home schedule and Big Ten schedule with a three-game series against the Buckeyes (17-10, 1-2), starting with a doubleheader on Friday.
Game one
Graduate student catcher Katie Wingert got things started in the bottom of the second for Rutgers with a double. Senior outfielder Kayla Bock brought Wingert home with a single to put the Knights up 1-0.
Graduate student infielder Payton Lincavage struck next, crushing a two-run homer in the third to extend Rutgers' lead to 3-0.
Senior pitcher and outfielder Morgan Smith had a great outing in game one of Friday's doubleheader. Smith started in the circle, throwing 6.1 innings, giving up just five hits and one run to Ohio State. She also had a solid day at the plate, hitting a run-scoring triple in the fifth inning.
Lincavage continued with her hot bat, crushing a solo home run to left field and extending the lead to 6-0.
The Buckeyes found themselves in a good spot in their final chance at the plate. A bases-loaded single from Destinee Noury brought in their first run of the day.
Fifth-year pitcher Mattie Boyd came in to pitch the final two outs for the Knights, securing their 6-1 win.
Game two
Rutgers took on Ohio State for a second game on Friday and got off to a quick start.
A sacrifice fly by junior infielder Maddie Lawson got the Knights on the board. Senior shortstop Kyleigh Sand followed with a run-scoring single, putting her team up 2-0.
Rutgers continued the trend, having a four-run third inning with Lawson picking up a three-run double.
The Buckeyes responded with a three-run inning of their own in the fourth, making the score 6-3.
The two continued to go tit for tat, with Ohio State taking its first lead in the sixth, thanks to a three-run homer from Noury.
Smith responded with a home run of her own in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game 8-8.
The game was then paused due to darkness and continued on Sunday.
The game stretched into 10 innings, with the Buckeyes scoring three against the Knights. Smith hit a homer in the final frame, but Rutgers could not snag the win, falling 11-9 to Ohio State.
Game three
The finale of the Knights' first Big Ten series came following the continuation of game two. Ohio State got on the board first, scoring on a sacrifice fly to take an early 1-0 lead.
The lead did not last long, though, with Wingert sending the ball over the fence and tying the game at 1-1.
Rutgers had a huge third inning, scoring a monstrous six runs and ending the inning up 7-1.
The Buckeyes had a four-run fourth inning, closing the gap between them and the Knights.
Ohio State added another run with a solo shot from Hannah Church, but Rutgers added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning, taking the 8-6 win.
The Knights will be back in action next weekend, traveling to West Lafayette, Indiana, to take on Purdue. The two have a three-game slate set to be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
For more updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Allison Girardi's work, follow @allisongirardii on X.
