LEESBURG, Fla. – Rutgers softball was back under the afternoon sun for day two of the Spring Games on Saturday, falling 6-2 to Louisville and dropping a 5-2 decision to Liberty, ranked at No. 24 in the D1Softball Top 25 Poll.
Louisville 8, Rutgers 2
- Two rookies plated both Rutgers runs against the Cardinals.
- Pinch runner Kelsie Riggan got the Scarlet Knights onto the scoreboard in the sixth on an RBI single in the sixth.
- Fellow freshman Baileigh Burtis came home in the seventh on a Bailey Briggs base hit in the seventh.
- Newcomer Ella Harrison got her second-straight start in the circle, going five innings and allowing three earned runs on seven hits. She struck out four along the way.
- Louisville took a 3-0 lead to start. A pair of miscues allowed leadoff Easton Lotus to put the Cardinals on the board early while a wild pitch scored Chelseas Mack and a Madison Pickens triple, followed by a throwing miscue, plated another two.
- The Cardinals pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second. Katie Thatcher led off with a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a bunt before scoring on a passed ball.
- While it was 1-2-3 for Louisville in the third and fourth, the Cardinal added two more in the fifth off as back-to-back base hits ultimately set up a Bri Despines two-run triple to right for a 6-0 edge.
- Rutgers got onto the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. Gaelen Kelly doubled to right-center to start. Kelsie Riggan came in to pinch run at second and scored as Jillian Anderson singled thru the left side. Â Â Â
- Louisville, however, loaded the bases in the sixth, resulting in a passed ball scoring Ally Alexander and a ground out from Camryn Lookadoo to plating Jordan Williams.
- The Scarlet Knights were able to add a run in the seventh on a Baileigh-Bailey combo. Baileigh Burtis got on board with a single to right and advanced into scoring position off a wild pitch setting up the RBI for Bailey Briggs on her single to left. RU had two aboard with no outs, but the Cardinals closed out the game, retiring the Scarlet Knight side swinging.
Liberty 5, Rutgers 2
- Graduate student LA Matthews and senior Jillian Anderson scored both RU runs.
- Matthews collected an RBI double while redshirt sophomore Baily Briggs also added a run batted in.
- Freshman Kelsey Hoekstra went the distance allowing three earned runs on nine hits while fanning five Flames.
- Liberty broke the scoreless stalemate in the top of the third. Savannah Woodard made her way to third on an error and a steal, leading Brynn McManus to get her home on a double to right. McManus gave the Flames a 2-0 edge to follow off a Brooke Roberts single to left.
- LA Matthews broke RU onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth. She connected for a double to right center and was able to capitalize on a Flame infield error for the Scarlet Knights to trail 2-1.
- The Flames got the run back, however, at their next plate appearance. Woodard singled to lead off and scored once again thanks to McManus double.
- Rutgers loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, but Liberty kept all the Scarlet Knights aboard to hold on to the one-run lead.
- Brooke Roberts homered for Liberty in the top of the seventh with a two-run shot over the fence in right pushing the Flames out to a 5-1 advantage.
- The Scarlet Knights had an opportunity to strike in the bottom of the inning. Rutgers loaded the bases with one out as a grounder from Briggs brought in Jillian Anderson. The Flames, however, closed out the contest without allowing any other Scarlet Knights to cross.
Rutgers and Liberty are back on the field on Sunday at noon to close out the Spring Games weekend. The game will be streamed on Fast Pitch Network TV with live stats available on statbroadcast.com.
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