It is fair to say that the 2025 Rutgers Softball team has faced its share of challenges this season.
Through their non-conference play this year the Knights currently sport a 13-15 record, but while they have faced several struggles, the team has also shown signs of brilliance.
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Against clubs with a .500 record or better, the Scarlet Knights are 3-12 this season, and head coach Kristen Butler is looking to get her young squad geared up for Big Ten Conference play, which begins this weekend.
The majority of the team is composed of underclassmen, and the best performances have clearly come from the team’s two seniors, who are the two top hitters on the club. Senior outfielder Gillian Anderson leads the Scarlet Knights with a .371 average, followed by fellow senior infielder L.A. Matthews (.329). Aside from sophomore Bailey Briggs (.313), every other player on the roster is below the .300 batting average.
So far this season there has been a decided power outage, as the Scarlet Knights have only hit four home runs through the first 28 games of the season, which does not bode well as they begin their slate of conference games.
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been the standout pitching of freshman hurler Ella Harrison. Currently sporting a record of 8-7, Harrison is coming off an eye-popping weekend in which she won three games, including a no-hit performance. That stretch of games recently earned her the Wilson/NFCA and D1 Softball National Pitcher of the Week honors.
Harrison has been the class of the pitching staff, with a 1.76 ERA and an incredible 124 strikeouts in 91.2 innings pitched. The only other pitcher on the staff with a winning record is fellow freshman Dezaria Johnson, with a 1-0 record.
Big 10 Conference play opens on Friday, March 14 against Maryland, with games following on Saturday and Sunday.
The Terrapins come in with a record of 10-11 and are led on offense by sophomore Bailey Murphy (.395), as well as graduate students Mazie MacFarland (.348) and Sam Bean (.322).
The Maryland pitching staff is anchored by junior Bri Godfrey, who stands with a 2-3 record and a 4.20 ERA this season.
First pitch for the tilt against Maryland is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. at the Rutgers Softball Complex, with all games being carried by the Big Ten Plus network.
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