Rutgers Softball staked themselves to a 4-0 lead after three innings in today’s early matchup against New Mexico State and never looked back.
Starting pitcher Jaden Vickers continued her outstanding season, going the distance for a complete game victory, despite a few rough spots.
The Scalret Knights chased Aggies starting pitcher Jordin King after just one and one-third innings by collecting three hits and four walks before breaking the game open when reliever Laurali Patane entered the contest.
Rutgers got things started in the bottom of the first when Taylor Fawcett doubled home Gabrielle Callaway and collected a second run when Payton Lincavage scored on an error, giving the Scarlet Knights a 2-0 lead. The Knights added two more in the third when Lincavage homered and extended the lead 7-0 when Kyleigh Sand knocked home three more with an RBI double to left center.
But Vickers ran into trouble in the fourth, surrendering five earned runs as the Aggies closed the gap to 7-5. However, the Knights responded with three in the bottom of the inning on the strength of a two-run homer from Fawcett and an RBI double from Kiersten Withstandley to extend the lead to 10-5. Rutgers added an insurance run in the sixth when Megan Herka singled home Fawcett, extending the lead to 11-5.
The Aggies managed to touch up Vickers for two more in the seventh, but the junior left hander was able to close out the contest for a complete game victory as the Knights took the game 11-7.
Today’s victory was the first of two slated games for the Knights and gave Rutgers a 4-2 mark over the last six games, improving their record to 15-8 on the season. The Scarlet Knights posted victories over James Madison University and George Washington University last weekend, interspersed with a defeat at the hands of Notre Dame during the Liberty Softball Invitational.
The Knights are now in Phoenix, Az. for the ASU/GCU Classic, which started on March 11. After an 11-2 drubbing at the hands of BYU in the early game on Friday, the Knights bounced back to take the late game 4-1 over Grand Canyon University.
The Scarlet Knights will next take on Arizona State in the late game Saturday evening, with an afternoon rematch on Sunday against the New Mexico Aggies as the ASU/GCU Classic concludes. The Knights finally return to Piscataway for a home opener doubleheader against UMES on Thursday, March 17, as they host the Rutgers Tournament at the softball complex.
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