Box Score

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. - Rutgers baseball fell into an early hole and could not recover in a 12-2 road loss to Monmouth Wednesday at MU Baseball Field. The result follows a 20-4 Tuesday win for the Scarlet Knights, as the teams split a two-game midweek set.

Junior Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) led RU (9-15) with a 3-for-4 performance, including two doubles. He is hitting 12-for-21 (.571) in five games since reentering the lineup last weekend. Freshman Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.) added two hits in the ballgame.

For Monmouth (12-12), Chris Gaetano collected three hits and three RBIs. The team took advantage of seven walks and two hit batters to reach 12 runs. Tyler Ksiazek (2-1) earned the win on the mound with one run permitted over seven innings.

Monmouth broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third with six runs, all coming across with two outs. The Hawks then tacked on three in both the fourth and fifth to build a 12-0 lead.

Rutgers put up a run in the top of the sixth to get on the scoreboard. Freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) worked a leadoff walk and stole his 19th base of the season. Carter then drilled an RBI double to the right field corner. In the eighth, junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) walked with two outs, stole second and came in on a single hit by sophomore Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.).

Freshman Dante Scafidi (Washington Township, N.J.) (2-1) struck out the side in the first inning, but took the loss. Freshman Kevin Romero (Garfield, N.J.), redshirt junior Kevin Baxter (Waterford, N.J.) and redshirt junior Max Herrmann (Rutherford, N.J.) combined to pitch 5.1 innings of relief.

Rutgers will return to Bainton Field this weekend to play a Big Ten series against Indiana. The Friday and Sunday games will be broadcast by BTN Plus.

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