It turned out to be a very good Friday for Rutgers, indeed.

Starter Raimy Gamsby faced only eight Buckeye batters in the opening game of the series, but she surrendered two home runs, one of which was a devastating grand slam in the second inning of play. Before many of the 1,036 fans in attendance had even taken their seats, Ohio State was already sporting a 5-0 lead.

That might have been enough for some opposing teams to fold. But not this year’s Scarlet Knights.

Coach Kristen Butler wasted no time in pulling Gamsby, quickly replacing her with Ryann Orange. The freshman responded, and was able to put out the fire to hold off the Buckeyes for the remainder of the inning.

The Scarlet Knights then began the task of chipping away at the lead, first scoring two runs in the top of the third to cut the deficit to 5-2.

Veterans lead this year’s Rutgers squad, and one of the most dependable is senior Payton Lincavage. Once again, in a key situation Lincavage shined, this time belting a three-run homer in the top of the fourth to tie the game, 5-5.

Meanwhile, Orange was in her groove, setting down the Buckeyes with one scoreless inning after another, and the game seemed destined for extra frames. But Lincavage had other ideas, and once again, she took one deep to left field with a solo shot in the sixth that gave the Knights the lead, 6-5.

With the game heading into the bottom of the sixth, the Buckeyes got the first batter aboard when left fielder Jaycee Ruberti worked out a walk, which prompted another pitching change from the Knights. Late in the game with the slimmest of leads, Butler turned to Jaden Vickers, who benefitted from some great defense from fellow veterans Katie Wingert and Taylor Fawcett to get out of the inning, maintaining the one-run lead.

But the bottom of the seventh produced controversy, as after a pop out to first, Buckeyes shortstop Kami Kortokrax battled Vickers until what appeared to be strike three, which was ruled a ball. The Vickers-Wingert battery clearly seemed rattled by the call, and Kortokrax eventually worked out a walk. That would unknowingly set up a dramatic play at the plate when Sam Hackenbracht belted a double, sending Kortokrax chugging around third and heading for home. As she slid in, she was called safe, over the protests of an incredulous Wingert, who held up the ball and pled her case to home plate umpire Bradley Newton. The play went to video review, and the call was overturned for out number two.

From there, a deep fly ball to right field off the bat of Destinee Noury ended the game, and RU could sigh in relief as they escaped with a 6-5 victory. Junior Allison Smith (11-8) took the loss for Ohio State, while 3.2 innings of hard work gave Orange her second victory of the season. Vickers recorded her second save of the year.

The hard-fought, come-from-behind win marked win number 30 on the season for the Knights, who will play two more against the Buckeyes before they next head off to face Penn State. The Knights will then return home for a game against Monmouth on April 18.