It was a split decision for Rutgers softball over the weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Rutgers softball dropped their first game to LMU 11-7 and defeated Cal Poly 8-7 in game two during the second day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
Game 1
In game one on Friday, LMU jumped out to an early lead with a two-run home run in the top of the first. The Scarlet Knights cut the Lions’ lead to one when they scored on a throwing error in the bottom of the inning.
The game changed for LMU when the Lions exploded for seven runs in the second inning to take a 9-1 lead. Rutgers tried to fight back, but the collapse in the second inning was too much to overcome.
Rutgers catcher Katie Wingert and outfielder Jillian Anderson provided RBI singles in the bottom of the third to cut LMU’s lead to 9-3. In the top of the fifth, Rutgers outfielder Kayla Bock added an RBI single to close the gap to five runs, but LMU would respond in the top of the sixth with a two-run home run to push LMU’s lead to seven.
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The Scarlet Knights continued to fight back, with Wingert and Anderson combining for three RBIs to cut the lead to four. Rutgers didn’t have enough to complete the comeback and fell to LMU 11-7.
ππππ πππ ππ ππππ ππππππ π₯ π₯
π CSUN
π 5:30 pm (ET)π BYU
π 11 pm (ET)π Mary Nutter Classic | Cathedral City, Calif.
ποΈ Big League Dreams Complex#GoRU #RUSB #Team50 pic.twitter.com/rGke08wqG0β Rutgers Softball (@RUSoftball) February 24, 2024
Game 2
In game two, the Scarlet Knights jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Rutgers Maddie Lawson produced an RBI single in the top of the second. Rutgers’ lead was quickly erased when Cal Poly recorded a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 1-1.
Rutgers outfielder Morgan Smith broke the tie with a two-run blast to give the Scarlet Knights a 3-1 lead, and shortly after, outfielder Kayla Bock added a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 5-1. In the same inning, Rutgers shortstop Kyleigh Sand recorded a bases-clearing double, extending the Scarlet Knights’ lead to 8-1.
The Mustangs put together a seventh-inning comeback attempt but fell short to give Rutgers an 8-7 victory in game two.