April 22, 2008

New Brunswick, NJ (UWIRE) -- The Rutgers softball team dropped their final Big East home games to Providence and Connecticut as the Scarlet Knights continued to struggle with consistency.

Game Two against UConn remained scoreless through the first six innings until the Huskies ripped back-to-back solo homeruns in the seventh to win 2-0.

Connecticut scored a run in both the third and fifth inning to take the lead 2-0 until Rutgers rallied in the bottom of the sixth, earning four runs.

Juniors Amanda Shaw and Amanda Heller both singled to start the inning and advanced on a wild pitch. With runners on second and third, senior Mallory Miller grounded out to the shortstop, scoring Shaw. Junior Kate Valiante singled to score Heller, tying the game.

The Knights earned three more runs on singles by seniors Ashley Hartley and Christine Royland to take the lead 4-2 until the Huskies tied the game in the top of the seventh forcing the game to enter extra innings.

Rutgers (18-28, 3-13) came up short as UConn (24-16, 11-3) took the game in the top of the ninth, scoring three runs on four singles and small ball for a 7-4 victory.

RU put up a good fight in the second game versus Providence (19-18-2, 5-6) but failed to come out on top as they lost 6-3.

The Knights came back from a one-run deficit in the bottom of the first inning as they scored three runs to lead until the top of the seventh.

Shaw walked and advanced to second on Miller's single. Valiante reached first on a single to score Shaw, tying the game. Freshman Mandy Craig followed with a single to drive in the next two runs.

"We hit the ball a little better [than in game one], we waited a little bit longer and got deeper into the counts, but we were still very impatient at bat," Nelson said. "Instead of letting the ball come to us and taking what they are giving."

As RU could not pull off another run for the next six innings, leaving 11 runners stranded, the Friars took advantage in the fourth inning and closed the gap with one run.

Although junior pitcher Christina Yard controlled much of the game, holding the Friars to one run until the seventh, the Knights were unable to maintain their lead.

Even with the Knights "no doubles defense," Providence continued to cut away at RU's lead as they rallied, beginning with a double to left center, and scored four earned runs in the seventh to take the game and sweep the Knights.

"It's one bad game. Unfortunately, it happened in a conference game, and it happened against a team that I'm expecting at least to split, if not to sweep. And it turned out the other way, and it puts us in a big hole," Nelson said.

The Friars ran away with Game One as they took an early lead with two runs in the first inning.

RU responded with one run in the second with back-to-back singles by juniors Kim Hodges and Sarah Kalka. Craig hit an RBI-double down the right field line to score Kalka.

With a 2-1 score, the Knights had the chance to pull ahead in the third as they loaded the bases with one out but failed to produce the hits needed to plate a runner as they left three stranded.

"They didn't make adjustments to the pitchers," Nelson said. "Both of the pitchers for Providence were off-speed pitchers, so they got us out on our front foot and we could only hit groundballs and popped balls up."

RU only tallied three hits in the next four innings as Providence took the 7-1 win.

The Scarlet Knights will travel to Farleigh Dickinson Thursday for an out of conference game before facing off with St. John's Saturday on the road.

(C) 2008 Daily Targum via UWIRE