TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast softball (5-12) fell in a 10-7 shootout to Rutgers (8-7) in the first game of Friday's doubleheader.
Rutgers hit three home runs – one each in the third, fourth and fifth – in the win. Baileigh Burtis led the Scarlet Knights with one of the homers as a part of a 3-for-4 day with two RBI. Seven different players recorded hits and RBI for Rutgers.
FGCU got out to an early lead with a four-run first inning.
Sietske Drijvers opened the scoring with a single that scored
Olivia Black.
Presley Smith followed the single with a two-run double, scoring Drijvers and
Tiffany Meek.
K'Mari Williams capped the inning when she reached on an error, allowing Smith to score.
The Scarlet Knights answered with a four-spot in the top of the third. Rutgers stacked a leadoff walk with a triple, single and their first home run of the day to level the score. RU added one run in the fourth on a solo homer, and got five more between the fifth and sixth innings to take a 10-4 lead. The Eagles added one run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the bottom of the seventh, but were unable to complete the comeback, and lost 10-7.
Black and Smith each had two hit days for FGCU, and Smith had two RBI.
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