March 27, 2016 Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Rutgers baseball scored five early runs, but it was not enough in a 6-5 loss to Michigan State Sunday at McLane Baseball Stadium. It was the seventh time the Scarlet Knights were involved in a one-run game in the last 11 contests.
On the mound, sophomore John O'Reilly (Northvale, N.J.) pitched well enough to win with a season-high six strikeouts over six innings, allowing three runs. The right-hander threw 92 pitches in the outing and picked up 10 outs on the ground.
Freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) sparked RU offensively with two hits and three stolen bases. The outfielder now has 17 steals this season, the most for a Scarlet Knight in a year since Patrick Kivlehan had 24 in 2012. Junior Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) also had a productive day with two more singles to up his total to a team-high six hits in the series.
Rutgers (8-14, 0-3) jumped up early with one in the first to take the lead. Carter singled with one out and moved to third on a two-out double by junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.). A balk chased home Carter.
In the second, the Scarlet Knights increased their lead to five with four more runs. Harris started the rally with an infield single and promptly stole both second and third, scoring on a single by freshman Nick Matera (Roxbury, N.J.). After a sacrifice bunt and strikeout, senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) worked a walk to put two on. Carter took advantage of the situation and ripped an RBI single up the middle. Then with runners at the corners, Carter darted from first to create and rundown and Devish read the play and stole home. The final run of the outburst came in on an RBI single by fifth-year senior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.).
However, RU was held scoreless from the second and MSU (18-3, 3-0) chipped back with one in the third and two in the sixth. Then in the seventh, home runs by Marty Bechina and Jordan Zimmerman put the hosts ahead.
Harris walked and junior Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) singled in the ninth, but both were stranded by Dakota Mekkes, who earned his second save. Walter Borkovich (4-1) was credited the win for the Spartans, while junior Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) (1-2) suffered the loss.
The Scarlet Knights will return home Tuesday for the first time since March 9 to host Monmouth at Bainton Field, starting a home-and-home midweek set. The next Big Ten series will begin Friday at home versus Indiana.
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