Category: Rutgers softball

Kyleigh Sand has been a bright spot for Rutgers softball

Rutgers softball is getting a strong return from Kyleigh Sand.

During the first few weeks of the 2023 softball season, Rutgers has been one of the best teams in the Big Ten. With a 17-10 record and ahead of conference play, they are seventh in the conference trailing Penn State, Maryland, Illinois, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. During their promising start, they have been led by Kyleigh Sand.

In 27 games this season, the California native has posted a .432 batting average and stolen a team-high 22 bases. She has been an on-base machine and recorded 41 total bases, which is second on the team. Although she has shown little power, Sand makes a difference with her legs.

Due to her ability to get on base, Sand is a threat whenever she steps in the box. The talented Junior has only gone hitless in seven games during the 2023 campaign and added two multi-hit games to her resume this month. The Rutgers shortstop has also come through with runners in scoring position as she has ten runs batted in this season.

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As the Scarlet Knights look to move up in the Big Ten standings, Sand will be a crucial piece. The Norco High School product creates opportunities for her teammates with her speed and has been solid defensively. Those qualities will be critical as Rutgers looks to earn a playoff berth later this season.

Although she has struggled recently, Sand has already shown how valuable she can be.

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Morgan Smith is providing a spark in the batter’s box and on the mound

Rutgers softball is getting a major impact from transfer Morgan Smith.

Through the first 20 games of the 2023 campaign, Rutgers softball has been one of the best teams in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights have gotten off to a 16-4 start and won five of their last six games. During their impressive start, Morgan Smith has been crucial to their success.

A transfer from LSU, Smith has been a revelation for Rutgers.

In 59 at-bats, Smith has 20 runs batted in and a team-leading six doubles. She has added two home runs to her resume and is one of three Scarlet Knights with 20 or more hits. So far, the Phoenix, AX native has proven to be a sparkplug offensively.

Additionally, she has been a threat when she gets on base with four stolen bases. Only Kyleigh Sand has more, with 21. Rutgers ability to steal bases has helped put pressure on their opponents. So far this season, they have stolen 44 bases and have only been caught five times. Smith has been a big part of that.

When the talented Junior is not in the batter’s box, she has also made a difference on the mound. In 26.1 innings of work, she has posted a 2.13 ERA. So far this season, the Pinnacle High School product has struck out 24 batters and allowed one home run.

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While the season is far from over, Smith has been a bright spot. Her value lies in her ability to impact a game, whether she is in the batter’s box or on the mound. She will be an important piece as the Scarlet Knights look to continue their success.

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Watch: Rutgers landed a dominant softball transfer in Morgan Smith

Morgan Smith is an important addition for Rutgers softball.

Morgan Smith has joined Rutgers softball this week, giving the Scarlet Knights a player who can make an impact both as a pitcher but also as an outfielder.

The former LSU star stood out last season as a sophomore.

In 2020 as a high school senior, Morgan was the No. 28 player in the nation according to FloSports.

Last season as a pitcher, she went 2-0. Throughout her college career. Morgan has appeared in 38 games, going 11-of-42 from the plate (she was 10-for-33 last season including two home runs).

She joins Rutgers via the transfer portal with two seasons if eligibility remaining:

 

In 2022, Rutgers women’s softball showed some flashes as they continued to lay a foundation in what has been an extensive rebuilding of the program. The Scarlet Knights went 25-30 (3-17 Big Ten).

They were one of the most-improved programs in the nation from the year before when they went 8-36 (all in Big Ten play).

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Head coach Kristen Butler has been with Rutgers softball for five seasons. She is a former SEC standout at Florida.

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Awards continue to roll in for Rutgers baseball

Rutgers baseball and softball players continued to receive honors over the weekend. See who was honored and how they performed this season.

Awards season continued for Rutgers baseball this past weekend. Players on both the softball and baseball teams received honors this past Friday.

From the baseball squad, junior catcher Nick Cimillo was named the District 2 Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). District 2 consists of players from Connecticut, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Washington D.C. Cimillo finished the season leading the entire Big Ten conference with a .385 batting average, .707 slugging percentage, and 1.199 OPS.

His 16 home runs were tied for the team lead, and he led all Scarlet Knights in walks. He was near the top of every offensive category for Rutgers baseball this season.

Also, this past Friday, Gabrielle Callaway and Kyleigh Sand from Rutgers softball heard their names called when the ECAC announced their All-ECAC teams. Callaway, a graduate student outfielder, was named to the First Team All-ECAC and the sophomore shortstop Sand received honorable mention honors. This is the third set of honors the teammates will share this year, as both previously received National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) First Team All-Region honors and were the Scarlet Knights’ first-ever First Team All-Big Ten selections.

Callaway finished the season in a second-place tie on the single-season leaders’ list in RBIs with 47, and tied for eighth with 10 home runs. She was also near the tops in the Big Ten in multiple categories, including being first in sacrifice flies with six, and sixth in RBIs.

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The Alabama native also finished the season with a slash line of .377 / .472 / .649, good for seventh, eighth, and ninth in the Big Ten, respectively.

Sand was the table-setter all season. The lead-off hitter accrued a 398 batting average, the highest from a Rutgers player since 2011, and her team-leading 49 runs helped the Scarlet Knights score their most runs since 2015. Sand’s season resulted in her name being scattered amongst the best single-season numbers in program history. She finished with second-most hits with 68, third-most runs with 49, fourth-most walks with 33, tied for fifth most steals with 23, and the sixth-best batting average.

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On the Big Ten season leaders page, she finished fourth in both hits and stolen bases, fifth in batting average and on-base percentage (.495), and finished sixth in runs.

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