Rutgers University
17-15
Seton Hall
10-15
Riley Hwang Belts Two HRs Including Grand Slam In 14-4 Win At Seton Hall
Mar 24 | Softball
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Rutgers softball was back to nonconference action, playing its fourth game in four days, and getting a 14-4 win over Seton Hall in six innings on Tuesday at Mike Sheppard Field.
Back-to-back opening home runs in a matter of nine pitches between Sam Rohwer and Riley Hwang put RU in front from the start. While a four-run fourth inning for Seton Hall saw the Scarlet Knights only up by two, 6-4, Rutgers exploded for eight runs, including a grand slam for Hwang, in the sixth for the sixth run-rule victory of the year.
The win upped the Scarlet Knights' mark to 17-15 overall.
Rutgers 14, Seton Hall 4 (6)
| STATISTICALLY SPEAKING |
- Sophomore Riley Hwang belted two home runs and finished the game 4-for-5 with five RBIs and four runs scored. It marked her fourth and fifth long balls of the season.
- Junior Sam Rohwer delivered her team-leading ninth home run of the year and plated three times.
- Sophomore Addie Osborne went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs.
- Classmate Baileigh Burtis added an RBI and two runs scored.
- In the circle, junior Brooke Shifflett got the start and improved to 6-3 on the year. In her three innings of work, she gave up three earned runs and two walks while fanning three Pirates.
| THE RUNDOWN |
- The first nine pitches of the game had Rutgers up 2-0. Leadoff Sam Rohwer went deep to left in five pitches, while Riley Hwang followed over the fence in the left on four pitches. Four batters later, Addie Osborne almost made it three home runs, but the ball hit the top of the high left field wall, resulting in an RBI double and a three-run lead.
- Osborne scored in the top of the third to make it a 4-0 ball game. The sophomore Scarlet Knight walked, stole second and made it to third on a throwing error on the steal before coming home on Makenna Coleman's sac fly.
- Another double off the left field wall and an RBI from Osborne extended RU's lead to 6-0 in the fourth. Sam Rohwer walked and Hwang doubled, leading to Baileigh Burtis' turn to go off the high wall in the outfield for two bases and an RBI. Osborne pushed across another run on a single thru the left side
Seton Hall got onto the scoreboard and cut RU's lead to two in the bottom half. A score off a miscue and a three-run home run from Erin Howard saw the Scarlet Knights ahead 6-4 - Rutgers, however, exploded for eight runs on six hits and two errors in the top of the sixth for the eventual run-rule win. Hwang kicked off the inning with a single up the middle and scored on a triple from Kelsey Hoesktra to the right corner. Seton Hall was unable to make the infield play on Burtis' ball at second for Hoekstra to score for the 8-4 RU edge. Mia Mitchell singled to right and a misplay allowed Burtis to advance to third and Mitchell gain another base, setting up both to come home on Rachel Millan's single up the middle. A Stephanie Kraska walk, bunt single from Samantha Delhoyo loaded the bases. A strikeout and fielder's choice from Rohwer stopped Millan from scoring and gave the Pirates two outs. Hwang, however, returned to the plate and knocked the first pitch above the high wall in left for the grand slam and her second home run of the afternoon.
| UP NEXT |
The Rutgers softball team is back home at the RU Softball Complex this weekend for another Big Ten series. The Scarlet Knights host Penn State on Friday, March 27 at 6 p.m., Saturday, March 28 at 3 p.m. and Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Shifflett, Brooke (6-3)
L: Sami Wakeley (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Hwang, Riley 1 ; Burtis, Baileigh 1 ; Osborne, Addie 1
3B: Hoekstra, Kelsey 1
HR: Rohwer, Sam 1 ; Hwang, Riley 2
RBI: Rohwer, Sam 1 ; Hwang, Riley 5 ; Hoekstra, Kelsey 1 ; Burtis, Baileigh 1 ; Osborne, Addie 2 ; Millan, Rachel 2 ; Coleman, Makenna 1
SF: Coleman, Makenna 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rohwer, Sam 3 ; Hwang, Riley 4 ; Hoekstra, Kelsey 1 ; Burtis, Baileigh 2 ; Mitchell, Mia 1 ; Osborne, Addie 1 ; Fuller, Jayla 1 ; Delhoyo, Samantha 1
SB: Osborne, Addie 2
Batting:
HR: Erin Howard 1
RBI: Erin Howard 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Naya Martinez 1 ; Lea Kosinski 1 ; Loreale Blake 1 ; Erin Howard 1
