After an opening day victory, the Scarlet Knights lost four straight last weekend and came into this year’s Lion Invitational Tournament looking to get back on the winning track. Sporting a 1-4 record, head coach Kristen Butler needed to rally her young squad during their visit to the Lone Star State. This was an important five-game stretch for the Knights, who needed to have a winning weekend to stem the tide of losing and avoid slipping into the abyss.
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Game 1: SIUE vs. Rutgers, Friday, February 14
Rutgers started the scoring early when L.A. Matthews stroked an RBI single that drove home Jillian Anderson to give the Knights a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. After RU loaded the bases, Stephanie Hoekstra doubled, driving home three more. But the Cougars clawed back in the top of the third, first with an RBI triple by senior Lauryn Yslava, who later scored on a sacrifice fly.
However, in the fifth inning Matthews again got Rutgers on the board with a solo home run. Not to be outdone, Georgia Ingle collected a long ball of her own in the bottom of the sixth, kicking off a four-run explosion by the Knights. With a six-run cushion, starting pitcher Ella Harrison set down the Cougars in the seventh, as she posted a six-hit, complete-game victory, 9-3. For the game, Matthews went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a home run.
Game 2: Rutgers at East Texas A&M, Friday, February 14
The late game on Friday saw the Scarlet Knights pound East Texas A&M, with an offensive display by the top of the order. Leadoff hitter Hailey Stripling had two RBIs and Anderson added three of her own on the way to a 7-0 rout of the Lions. Sophomore Bailey Briggs and catcher Gaelen Kelly each had an RBI while starting pitcher Kelsey Hoekstra pitched five shutout innings for the victory. Laurelai DePew closed the game in the circle for RU, surrendering no hits and no runs in what was by far the most complete game of the season for the Knights.
Game 3: Abilene Christian vs. Rutgers, Saturday, February 15
The early game on Saturday morning against the Abilene Christian Wildcats was more of a battle for Rutgers, with a pitching duel that kept the fans riveted to the action. Harrison was again in the circle, pitching brilliantly as she systematically de-clawed the Wildcats’ lineup.
By comparison, senior pitcher Lina Russo was equally capable for the Wildcats, surrendering just two runs on four hits through six innings of work. But this game belonged to the Knights, as Harrison gave up just one run on four hits for a complete game victory that improved her record to 3-4 on the year. The 2-0 win pushed the RU record to .500 for the first time this season.
Game 4: SIUE vs. Rutgers, Saturday, February 15
In the second game on Saturday, the Scarlet Knights met with SIUE for a rematch engagement. Kelsey Hoekstra returned to the circle for Rutgers, but she did not receive the run support from the RU lineup that she had in game two of the tournament.
Home runs from Kaylin Fahy, Juztyne Torres and Yslava helped to power the Cougars’ attack, and it was not until a late RBI single by Anderson in the seventh inning that the Knights got on the board. But, the rally came up short, and RU fell to the Cougars by a score of 4-1. Freshman Avery Arwood collected the victory, while Hoekstra took the loss, dropping her record to 2-2 on the year.
Game 5: Rutgers at East Texas A&M, Sunday, February 16
In the final game of the weekend for Rutgers, Harrison got the start against East Texas A&M in the rematch. The Lions struck first in the bottom of the third, when an RBI single by Emma Rodrigues scored junior Hailey Montemayor.
Starting pitcher Julia Sanchez was cruising through five innings, holding the Knights scoreless while chalking up six strikeouts. But, when the Scarlet Knights loaded the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, A&M’s head coach Brittany Miller called upon senior Kate Houser to extinguish the flames. However, when Bailey Briggs’ fly ball to center caromed off the glove of Rodrigues in center field, Baileigh Burtis and Riley Hwang raced home, giving RU the 2-1 lead. The Knights added a third score when Kelsie Riggan came home on a wild pitch, and another when Briggs stole home during a rundown.
Trailing 4-1, the Lions cut the lead when Emmie Miehe stroked an RBI double to left field. However, Harrison and the Knights shut down the Lions in the seventh, preserving the victory, 4-2. Harrison took the complete game victory, spreading out five hits over seven full innings, while collecting nine strikeouts.
The Lion Invitational proved to be a bounce-back weekend for the young Rutgers squad, going 4-1 through the tournament to improve to 5-5 on the season. In particular, it was the veteran leadership on the squad that powered the Knights, as Anderson went 6-for-12 (.500) and Matthews went 7-for-16 (.430) during the tournament.
The Scarlet Knights will now travel to Cathedral City, California to participate in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. In 2024, RU went 4-2 during the Nutter Classic, and will be looking to duplicate, if not improve upon, that success in 2025. Rutgers will first tangle with the Arizona Razorbacks beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 20. They will then match up against the Missouri Tigers in the late game at 3:30 p.m. The Knights will then play games against Tennessee, Bethune-Cookman, Oregon State and U.C. Riverside over the remainder of the weekend.
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