PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers softball fell to Northwestern in the series opener on Friday afternoon at the RU Softball Complex as the Wildcats blanked the Scarlet Knights, 6-0.
Northwestern 6, Rutgers 0
- Junior Siera Hoekstra and redshirt Bailey Briggs both had hits for the Scarlet Knights. Hoekstra connected for her third double of the season.
- Freshman Ella Harrison moved closer to becoming RU's season strikeout leader in the loss. The right-hander went three innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits while fanning four Wildcats. She now has 190 strikeouts this season. Harrison needs two more to move past Leah Black (2001) for second and three more to surpass Alyssa Landrith (2013) as RU's all-time single-season strikeout leader.
- Classmate Kelsey Hoekstra finished out the game's final four innings allowing only one hit, to walks and struck out two.
- Northwestern plated one run in the first, four runs in the second and one run in the third en route to the victory.
- Grace Nieto opened the game reaching on an error and two batters later was able to score, beating the Scarlet Knights to home, as Kaylie Avvisato put the ball into play in front of the plate. Northwestern had the bases loaded with one out, but RU's Addie Osborne got the throw into Riley Hwang at home to stop another Wildcat run from scoring.
- In the second, the Wildcats put up four runs on two hits. Ayana Lindsey was able to score on a passed ball, Avvisato added an RBI single thru the left side and Kansas Robinson later connected for a two-run home run to center to put Northwestern up 5-0.
- Lindsey scored again for the Wildcats' sixth and final run in the third. Reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing both second and third, she was able to score on an Avery Garden base hit to center.
- Rutgers allowed only one hit and no Wildcat past first the rest of the way.
The Rutgers-Northwestern series continues on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the RU Softball Complex with Alumnae Day. Join the Scarlet Knights in celebrating its letterwinners throughout its 51-year history before and during the game. Admission to all Rutgers softball home games is free.
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