Swinging into California with a record of 5-5, Rutgers Softball faced decidedly tougher competition this weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Cathedral City, Calif. This was a true test for the young Scarlet Knights squad, as the six-game tournament featured quality opponents from around the country.
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Game 1: Arkansas vs. Rutgers, Thursday, February 20
The Scarlet Knights opened the weekend against the Arkansas Razorbacks, and through four innings of play, the game was a tight one. The lone run was a homer from junior Kailey Wyckoff in the third inning, which provided the Razorbacks with a 1-0 lead. But in the top of the fifth, Arkansas’ bats started connecting with pitches from starting hurler Kelsey Hoekstra. Nine runs and two relief pitchers later, the Razorbacks had a 10-run lead, the big blow being a three-run homer by senior Courtney Day. Due to the run-rule, the game was called after just five innings with Arkansas downing the Scarlet Knights 10-0. Payton Burnham took the victory for Arkansas, lifting her record to 4-0 on the season, while Hoekstra absorbed the loss for RU.
Game 2: Rutgers vs. Missouri, Thursday, February 20
Looking to bounce back in the late game on Thursday, the Knights took the field against the Missouri Tigers. Starting pitcher Ella Harrison pitched well for RU, going six innings and surrendering just one earned run on four hits while striking out 10 Tigers. In a tight pitching duel, Missouri junior Taylor Pannell matched Harrison inning for inning, surrendering just four hits in the game through seven innings. But, when Missouri freshman Saniya Hill smacked a double to left field in the fifth inning, it drove home Madison Uptegrove with the sole run of the game. Unable to mount a rally in the final two stanzas, the Scarlet Knights dropped a tough one, 1-0. Harrison took the loss for RU, while Pannell recorded the victory for the Tigers.
Game 3: Tennessee vs. Rutgers, Friday, February 21
Having gone scoreless through the first two games of the invitational, the Scarlet Knights looked to change their fortunes in the early game on Friday against the Tennessee Volunteers. Before a crowd of 237 spectators on a warm, 76-degree day, the Scarlet Knights broke on top early in the first when a sacrifice fly by L.A. Matthews drove home second baseman Bailey Briggs to give Rutgers a 1-0 lead. However, in the bottom of the first an RBI single by Kinsey Fiedler tied the game, 1-1. From there, the Lady Volunteers began an offensive onslaught, scoring three in the third, four in the fourth and two in the fifth, giving them a run-rule 10-1 victory. As the starting pitcher, Hoekstra recorded her second loss in the circle in as many days, while sophomore Sage Mardjetko moved to 5-0 on the season with the victory.
Game 4: Bethune Cookman vs. Rutgers, Friday, February 21
Looking to get in the win column with the late game on Friday, the Scarlet Knights faced off against the Bethune Cookman Wildcats. Again, it was Harrison in the circle for the Knights, and she turned in a brilliant performance, surrendering just four hits while striking out eight in 4.2 innings of work. RBIs from Matthews, Hailey Stripling, Baileigh Burtis, and Addie Osborne powered the RU attack, while the Wildcats could only muster one run in the bottom of the seventh off RU reliever Dezaria Johnson. For the Knights it was a much-needed victory as they took the late game, 5-1.
Game 5: Rutgers vs. Oregon State, Saturday, February 22
Saturday morning brought another pitchers’ duel, as the Scarlet Knights took on the Oregon State Beavers. Harrison, in the circle again for RU, struck out 11 batters through seven innings, surrendering just seven hits. However, one of the hits was a three-run, fifth inning homer off the bat of Morgan Howey, which staked the Beavers to a three-run lead. Graduate student Logan Hulon was nearly flawless in the circle for Oregon State, holding RU to just one hit in a complete game shutout over Rutgers, 3-0.
Game 6: Rutgers vs. UC Riverside, Saturday, February 22
In the final contest, the Knights faced the UC Riverside Highlanders. Hoekstra returned to the circle for RU, and it looked like it would be trouble for the Knights when the Highlanders scored three runs in the top of the first inning. But the resilient Knights came back in the bottom of the second, knotting the game 3-3. Rutgers then took the lead in the fifth when an RBI double by Jayla Fuller put the Knights up 5-3. After the Scarlet Knights picked up an insurance run in the sixth, the Highlanders were able to score once more in the seventh off a solo home run from senior Kamryn Davis. But Hoekstra and the Knights held on for the victory, 6-4.
Now 7-9 on the season, the Scarlet Knights will travel to Auburn, Alabama to take part in the Jane B. Moore Memorial Invitational. The games begin on Friday, February 28, with the Knights taking on the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in the early game, followed by a contest against the Auburn Tigers in the late match. RU will then take on Louisiana again on Saturday, March 1, followed by an afternoon outing against McNeese State. In the final game, Rutgers will go into a Sunday rematch against McNeese State at 10:00 a.m.
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