Rutgers softball grabs 1st ever series win against Minnesota
The Rutgers softball team grabbed another Big Ten series win this weekend on the road. The Scarlet Knights (29-19, 10-7) completed their first-ever series win over Minnesota, taking 2 out of 3 games in Minneapolis.
Game one: Rutgers wins 3-0
Rutgers opened up its road trip with a shutout win over the Golden Gophers (23-21, 9-8) on Friday night.
Fifth-year pitcher Mattie Boyd threw a complete game for the Knights, her 16th of the season. Boyd finished the game, allowing six hits and no runs. She improved her record to 16-7 on the year.
The match stayed scoreless through five innings before Rutgers broke through in the top of the sixth.
Graduate student catcher Katie Wingert laced a single to left field, bringing in senior outfielder and pitcher Morgan Smith for the game's first run.
Senior outfielder Leilani Chavez followed with a run-scoring hit of her own, giving the Knights the 2-0 lead late in the game.
Rutgers added an insurance run in the seventh with a bases-loaded walk from junior infielder Maddie Lawson.
Boyd kept Minnesota run-less in its last chance at the plate, just as she did all day, sealing the Knights' series-opening win.
Game two: Rutgers loses 9-6
Rutgers was less successful in Saturday's game against the Golden Gophers.
Minnesota's bats were hot right out of the gates, putting up a 4-run first inning.
In the second inning, redshirt junior outfielder Jillian Anderson knocked in a run, getting the Knights on the board and cutting their deficit to 4-1.
The Golden Gophers stopped Rutgers from gaining any momentum, though, and went on a run of their own.
Taylor Krapf started things at the bottom of the second, extending Minnesota's lead with a run-scoring double to left field. The team continued that pattern, widening the lead to 8-1 by the end of four innings.
The Knights closed the gap little by little, scoring 2 runs in the sixth and then 3 runs in the seventh, but they still fell short.
Despite the 9-6 loss, Wingert had 2 runs batted in (RBI) on the day, tying the all-time Rutgers RBI lead. Senior shortstop Kyleigh Sand joined the record books as well, becoming just the fifth Knight to reach 200 career hits.
Game three: Rutgers wins 6-1
Sunday's conclusion crowned Rutgers the winner of the three-game series.
Boyd was in the circle once again for the Knights, throwing another complete game.
The Golden Gophers got on the board early, but Boyd kept them quiet through the rest of the matchup.
A sacrifice fly from Sand tied the game 1-1 in the third.
Graduate student utility player LA Matthews gave Rutgers the lead in the fifth, smacking a single to center field and bringing in the go-ahead run. Lawson followed by hitting into a fielder's choice that scored another run, putting the Knights up by 2.
Rutgers extended its lead in the sixth, scoring another 3 runs to seal the win at 6-1.
The Knights will continue their road trip next weekend, traveling to East Lansing, Michigan, for a three-game series against Michigan State.
For more updates on the Rutgers softball team, follow @TargumSports on X.
To view more of Allison Girardi's work, follow @allisongirardii on X.
