Feb. 21, 2016 Box Score
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Rutgers baseball received another strong start on the mound, but were held to three hits at the plate in an 8-1 loss to No. 4 Miami Sunday at Alex Rodriguez Park. The game wrapped up a three-game series to start the season.
Sophomore John O'Reilly (Northvale, N.J.) turned in an effective performance in his first start of the season, not allowing an earned run over 5.1 innings. The right-hander struck out three, walked two and permitted four hits in his 80-pitch outing. For the weekend, the three Rutgers starters combined to work 16.1 innings with just four earned runs surrendered (2.20 ERA).
Offensively, freshmen Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.) and Nick Matera (Roxbury, N.J.) all picked up their first collegiate hits. However, the Scarlet Knights could not mount a rally to put up a run until the ninth inning when junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the first inning, O'Reilly retired the first two batters, but two walks and an error loaded the bases for Miami (3-0). Johnny Ruiz then came through with a two-run single to give the hosts the lead. Harris prevented further damage by throwing out a runner at third for the third RU outfield assist of the weekend.
O'Reilly found a rhythm from there to keep it at 2-0, inducing double plays in both the second and fifth innings. He departed after picking up the first out of the sixth. From there, Miami tacked on a pair of runs with two outs in the sixth to build a 4-0 advantage against the Rutgers (0-3) bullpen. The lead grew with one more run in the seventh and three in the eighth.
Danny Garcia (1-0) tossed seven shutout innings to pick up the win for UM, allowing two hits and walking one. Ruiz went 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs.
Rutgers will resume action next Friday to start a three-game series at George Mason.
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