Softball Falls Short In Series Finale With Penn State

Mar 29 | Softball

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers softball's comeback against Penn State in the series finale fell short as the visiting Nittany Lions took a 7-5 win for the series sweep.

The Scarlet Knights held a 2-1 edge after the first inning, but the Nittany Lions scored two runs in both the second and third to never relinquish the lead. Charleigh Schuetttler belted her first RU career home run as the Scarlet Knights trailed 6-4 after four innings and an Addie Osborne RBI double in the seventh with one out kept RU's chances alive before PSU claimed the win.

The loss dropped the Scarlet Knights to 17-18 overall and 3-9 in Big Ten action.

Penn State 7, Rutgers 5

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING

Sophomore Addie Osborne finished the day 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.
Classmate Baileigh Burtis was also 2-for-4 with an RBI double and a run scored.
Freshman Charleigh Schuettler captured her first collegiate home run, becoming the 10^th Scarlet Knight to go over the fence this season.
Starter Brooke Shifflett went 3.0 innings in the loss to fall to 6-5. She gave up four earned runs on four hits with a strikeout. Kelsey Hoesktra finished the game, striking out four in the final 3.1 innings.

THE RUNDOWN

Penn State had the bases loaded as Jordan George was hit by a pitch to send in a run.
Rutgers, however, took the lead in the bottom half. Three batters into the RU lineup the game was tied on a Baileigh Burtis RBI double and later scored on Addie Osborne's single for the 2-1 edge.
The Nittany Lions plated two runs in the second and two in the third and would never relinquish the lead. A two-run single bases-loaded single from Alison Oneacre in the third and two-run single from Gabby Gradishar in the fourth put PSU ahead 5-2.
In the bottom of the third, the Scarlet Knights cut into the deficit as Jayla Fuller plated on a wild pitch and trail, 5-3.
Penn State added another run in the fourth for a 6-3 advantage. Tagging up after a foul ball, Brooke Klosowicz was able to score off an error on the throw into the infield.
Charleigh Schuettler got the run back for the Scarlet Knights in the bottom half. Schuettler's first pitch home run to center had RU down 6-4.
A Breanna Hanik home run down the left field line to lead off the seventh gave Penn State some cushion heading into RU's final at-bat up 7-4.
The Scarlet Knight comeback, however, fell just short. Stephanie Kraska reached on a fielder's choice and was replaced on the bases by pinch runner Eva Garofalo, who would score on a double from Osborne to center. Osborne, however, was caught between second and third trying to take extra bases following the throw into the plate from the outfield. Rachel Millan walked to put the tying run at the plate, but would be left on first as the Nittany Lions recorded the third out.

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights host Wagner in midweek contest on Tuesday, March 31 at 6 p.m. before traveling to #9 Nebraska for a three-game series on April 3-5. Admission to the RU Softball Complex is free.

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