ANN ARBOR, Mich. --  Rutgers softball dropped game two with Michigan on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Field as six runs by the Wolverines in the sixth lifted the hosts to an 11-3 win.
The Scarlet Knights pulled within 5-3 and narrowly missed tying the ball game up in the top half of the sixth. The Wolverines made the catch at the wall on a deep fly ball by LA Matthews that would have knotted the score at 5-5.
Michigan, however, responded with a six-run bottom half, including a walk-off two-run home run.
Michigan 11, Rutgers 3 (6)
- Michigan took the early lead as Indiana Langford led off with a single to center and Jenissa Conway followed with a home run to right center for the 2-0 advantage.
- Rutgers cut into the lead in the fourth. Riley Hwang belted her first career home run down the left field line just inside the foul pole for the Scarlet Knights to trail 2-1.
- The Wolverines extended its lead in the bottom of the fifth. After back-to-back singles from Erin Hoehn and Langford, Conway belted her second home run of the afternoon to straight away center giving the Wolverines a 5-1 edge.
- The Scarlet Knights battled back, though, in the sixth. Kelsey Hoesktra walked and after she was replaced at first by her sister, Siera, Hwang delivered another RBI. Hwang doubled to center and then scored on a base hit to left from Bailey Briggs, narrowing the gap to a 5-3 deficit. LA Matthews had a chance to tie the ball game going deep to right, but Wolverine right fielder Ella Stephenson made the catch at the wall to keep the hosts in front.
- Michigan, however, responded with six runs on four hits and a pair of errors to take the ball game. Maddie Erikson doubled down the left field line to start off the hot inning for the Wolverines and scored on a Reganne Bennett single to left center. While Michigan hit into a double play to follow, the Wolverines would add five more runs. After a pair of walks, Lauren Putz singled to center, with a misplay allowing two runs to plate, and later scored on an infield miscue. Lilly Vallimont ended the game with a walk-off two-run shot to left.
The Rutgers and Michigan series comes to a close on Monday at 4:30 p.m. on BTN with Kylen Mills and Leigh Dakich on the call.
Follow Rutgers softball on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Â
- RU -Â