IU Drops DH to Rutgers

Friday, May 4

Piscataway, N.J.

1:00 PM ET

Indiana University

24-27, 16-4

Rutgers

17-30, 2-15

Indiana

Rutgers

5/4/2018 8:39:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Box Score (PDF) - Game One Box Score (PDF) - Game Two

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Indiana Softball dropped both games of Friday's doubleheader at Rutgers, falling 3-0 and 5-4.

"We didn't have it today," said head coach Shonda Stanton. "We were poor on all sides of the ball - the inability to make plays and the inability to step up at the plate cost us. Rutgers came to play today and was the better team."

Rutgers 3, Indiana 0
Through the first four innings of game, the teams combined for just four hits as it remained largely a pitcher's duel between Tara Trainer and Whitney Jones.

Indiana's first real offensive threat came in the fifth as a fielder's choice by freshman Makayla Ferrari and a single by junior Sarah Galovich put two on with one out. However, a fielder's choice and flyout in foul territory stranded two.

The Scarlet Knights followed that up by also putting a pair of runners on via walks with two outs before a pop-up to senior Taylor Uden at first stranded them.

Indiana responded in the sixth by loading the bases on a single by freshman Taylor Lambert and walks to sophomore Gabbi Jenkins and Uden. However, a fielder's choice left them on base.

Rutgers broke open the stalemate in the home half of the frame on a pair of home runs. Rebecca Hall first knocked one-out solo shot to give the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead. After Anyssa Iliopoulos singled up the middle, Sierra Maddox sent a two-run shot to left center.

The Hoosiers looked to answer in the final frame as a single by sophomore Bella Norton and walks to Lambert and senior Rebecca Blitz loaded the bases with two outs. However, a strikeout left them loaded and ended the game.

Rutgers 5, Indiana 4
Game two saw the Hoosiers battle back in the seventh to tie the game before Rutgers earned the victory on a walkoff RBI single.

IU did strike first in the game, taking a 2-0 lead in the third. After Lambert drew a one-out walk, Blitz beat Rutgers' defensive shift to single up the middle. Jenkins then plated Lambert on a double to left before a sacrifice fly by sophomore Lacefield brought home Blitz to make it 2-0.

Indiana's lead lasted until the fifth when the Scarlet Knights plated four runs. Hall made it 2-1 on an RBI single to right center, bringing in Jacqueline Kott. Myah Moy then tied things up on a single to second base, plating Christine Malito, who reached on a Hoosier fielding error. A two-run double from Iliopoulos made it 4-2.

After a quick sixth inning on both sides, Uden knocked a one-out single through the left side in the seventh. Lambert then tied the game up on her two-run homer to left center. It was the fourth home run of the season for Lambert, as all have come in Big Ten play.

However, Rutgers led off the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back base hits, putting two runners in scoring position. Moy then singled to right center, bringing in the game-winning as Hailey Hoklotubbe scored from third.

Indiana and Rutgers will close out the regular season on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be streamed on BTN Plus. The final bracket for next week's Big Ten Tournament will be announced following the final conference game on Sunday. The Hoosiers remain in third place in the conference standings and the top four teams will get a first round bye.