Maturing Rutgers softball beats Minnesota for first time in program history
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (BVM) — Rutgers’ growth as a program was on full display when it defeated Big Ten opponent Minnesota, 9-2, for the first time in program history last Friday.
The Scarlet Knights have been one to watch this season. Coming into the game, their record was 21-10, the best it’s been prior to Big Ten play and 13 more wins than their entire 2021 season.
Rutgers’ go-to pitcher, junior Ashley Hitchcock, took the mound for the Scarlet Knights. She has been a huge factor in the success this season, working with redshirt junior catcher Katie Wingert to keep hitters on their toes.
From the first batter, Hitchcock set the tone of her performance. She forced three of the first four Minnesota hitters into weak contact, giving easy outs to the Scarlet Knights.
After Minnesota jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the game’s momentum quickly shifted to the Scarlet Knights.
Finding a groove was a challenge for both Minnesota pitchers, with starter Autumn Pease and freshman Emily Leavitt, who entered in relief during the bottom of the second.
The story for the Minnesota pitchers quickly became walks. In her one and two-thirds innings of work, Pease managed to load the bases with walks twice, and she allowed two unearned runs when Rutgers went ahead 4-2 in the bottom of the second. Leavitt also allowed four walks in her outing.
The third inning was the turning point. Rutgers’ 4-2 lead was hardly a comfortable spot considering Minnesota is best-known for its slugging offense.
After Hitchcock got out of a jam in the top of the third, the Scarlet Knights stepped on the gas pedal offensively. They loaded the bases with walks before Leavitt hit junior third baseman Payton Lincavage with a pitch to tack on to the lead.
Rutgers left fielder Gabby Callaway quickly got down in the count, but it didn’t matter. The graduate student sent a rocket over the left field wall, putting the Scarlet Knights up 9-2, and breaking the game wide open.
“I was just waiting for one pitch, one spot, one strike,” Callaway said, “I was down 0-2, but I was planning to wait until I saw a strike. I saw a strike, swung through a strike, and Coach Butler gave me a small correction, and I was just trying to really work that correction. I wasn’t really thinking much other than that.”
After Callaway gave the Scarlet Knights the extra wiggle room, the rest of the game was controlled by Hitchcock and their defense. Despite only striking out three Golden Gophers, Hitchcock enticed hitters into out after out, throwing a complete-game six-hitter.
“Ashley’s been throwing really well as of late,” Rutgers head coach Kristen Butler said. “She was kind of up–and–down earlier in the year, but she has really locked in. Obviously, she was our most successful pitcher last year, so going into the first (conference) series, we wanted to put our veteran out there, and she did a phenomenal job.”
Rutgers first win over a Minnesota program that consistently qualifies for the NCAA tournament is a testament to the confidence the Scarlet Knights have built with a younger group. Their 2020 season abruptly ended early due to the COVID-19 shutdown and they were limited to only a conference schedule while going 8-36 last year.
This season, however, is different. The Scarlet Knights played a regular non-conference schedule and built a great deal of confidence going into Big Ten play.
“Our team last year, basically everyone had never played in the Big Ten.” Callaway said. “We were pretty much all sophomores who had only played in the COVID-19 season, which was only a few preseason games before we were sent home, so the Big Ten hit us pretty hard and no one knew what to expect. Now, having that experience and knowing it’s just softball still, it’s conference games, but it’s nothing special.”
With a goal of earning a berth in the NCAA Regional this season, the Scarlet Knights are hoping to keep that confidence high, and continue to put their talent and experience to good use.
