Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers baseball broke open a 6-6 game with five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on from there to beat Delaware State, 12-8, in Tuesday midweek action at Bainton Field. It was the first meeting between the programs on the diamond.

The Scarlet Knights improved to 17-19 with the victory and 9-1 at home, while the Hornets fell to 9-27.



The offense put up double-digit runs for the seventh time this season, posting 12 hits on the day. Juniors Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) and Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) both had two hits, two walks and three runs, as freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) also had a multiple-hit game with a single and a double. Sophomore Kyle Walker (Piscataway, N.J.) and junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) knocked in three runs apiece.

On the mound, senior Reed Shuttle (Lansdale, Pa.) (1-2) earned his second career win with a season-high three innings of relief. The right-hander struck out five. Junior Ryan Fleming (Churchville, Pa.) finished up the game with a perfect ninth inning, making it eight consecutive outings without permitting an earned run. Beginning the contest, junior Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) made his first career start and lasted 3.1 innings, with freshman Kevin Romero (Garfield, N.J.) being the first out of the bullpen and recording five outs.

Terry Godfrey (0-1) suffered the loss for the Hornets with two runs allowed in relief. The visitors trotted out eight different pitchers to the hill. Led by four from Darnell Maisonet, DSU collected 16 hits during the game, but did strand 11 on base.

With the game knotted at six in the sixth, the Scarlet Knights pulled away with five runs to take what proved to be an insurmountable lead. Rosa, senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) and Carter all walked with one out, but stood put following a strikeout. Marcinczyk then came through with a three-run triple to right-center on the first pitch of his at bat for the go-ahead hit. Fifth-year senior John Jennings (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) and Harris would each add RBI hits to cap the outburst.

The lead grew to 12-6 in the seventh when Walker notched his third RBI of the day to score Rosa on a run-scoring fly ball. The Hornets would rally for two in the eighth, but Shuttle limited the damage and Fleming worked a 1-2-3 ninth on seven pitches to seal the win.

In the top of the first, Rosa fired a strike to the plate on a relay to prevent a run from scoring. That led to the Scarlet Knights' first plate appearance, which resulted in two runs. Devish and Carter both walked on a full count to start the rally. Next up, fifth-year senior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.) delivered an RBI double for the first score of the game. Jennings followed two batters later with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 after one.

However, the Hornets rallied for two runs in both the third and fourth to take a 4-2 lead.

That deficit was short-lived for Rutgers, as the offense strung together four runs on four hits in the fourth. Sophomore Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) walked with one out and ran all the way home when freshman Nick Matera (Roxbury, N.J.) banged a double off the wall in right-center. Rosa kept it going with a single to put runners at the corners, also forcing a DSU pitching change. In the next at bat, Devish lofted a sacrifice fly on an 0-2 pitch. Carter kept the inning alive with an infield single, with Walker then coming through with a two-out, two-run double in his first plate appearance of the day to put Rutgers in the lead, 6-4.

Delaware State would respond again with runs in the fifth and sixth to even the game at six. That would lead to a five-run sixth for Rutgers to take an 11-6 advantage.

The Scarlet Knights will hit the road tomorrow to face Wagner in a 3 p.m. game. The next home game is scheduled for Friday versus Penn State.

NOTES
Devish drew three walks in a game for the second time this season, also doing so in the second game at George Mason … the Scarlet Knights have won 15 of their last 17 games at Bainton Field dating back to last year … the team had three sacrifice flies in a game for the first time since Feb. 14, 2015 at Miami … the offense drew a season-high 12 walks and had seven hits with two outs … Rosa tied his season high with five assists at shortstop … Shuttle picked up his first win since April 9, 2014 versus Columbia … RU stole four bases, making it 10 games with at least that many this season … it was the first time Rutgers played a team from the MEAC since 1978 … the game lasted three hours, 15 minutes.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@BaseballRU), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Tumblr.