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Rutgers Softball Falls Short in Big Ten Tournament

A three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of Sam Hackenbracht lifted 6th seeded Ohio State to a thrilling 7-4 victory over 11th seeded Rutgers in…

Rutgers softball

Rutgers softball fell to Ohio State 7-4 in the Big Ten Tournament first round. Photo Rutgers Athletics.

A three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh off the bat of Sam Hackenbracht lifted 6th seeded Ohio State to a thrilling 7-4 victory over 11th seeded Rutgers in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State will move on to the quarterfinals to face Minnesota.

Rutgers (32-25) will have to wait for word on a potential NCAA bid if it plays another game this season.

The Scarlet Knights fought hard all afternoon, held the lead twice against Ohio State, but they couldn't slow down Hackenbracht who went 4-for-4 with five RBI on the day.

For Rutgers Kyleigh Sand and Payton Lincavage drove in the first two runs of the day on a pair of third inning hits.

After Ohio State tied the game in the bottom half of the third, Rutgers regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Morgan Smith knocked in a pair of runs on a two-run single to left to make it 4-2.

Jaden Vickers got the start, but was charged with six runs, five earned over 6.1 innings of work.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.