EAST LANSING, Mich. – Rutgers baseball claimed the opener of the Friday doubleheader at Michigan State with an 8-4 win. The Scarlet Knights improved to 3-1 in the Big Ten, the best start since joining the league, and 14-9 overall. In addition, it was the fifth-straight series winning the first game.
 
Senior John O'Reilly (3-1), who was coming off a complete game versus Penn State, went deep once again with eight innings in his 42^nd career start. The right-hander picked up 12 outs on the ground and did not allow a runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. Junior Serafino Brito pitched a scoreless ninth to close it out.
 
At the plate, RU compiled 10 hits, all from the fifth inning on, with junior Luke Bowerbank collecting three. Fifth-year senior Chris Folinusz and redshirt freshman Dan DiGeorgio both added two. Junior Jawuan Harris smashed a three-run triple and Folinusz connected for a two-run double to highlight the offensive production. In addition, senior Kyle Walker had his hitting streak snapped at 17 after being intentionally walked in the ninth, but did reach twice to extend his on-base streak to 19.
 
RU did not commit an error for the second time this season, while MSU (6-18, 0-4) had three.
 
Zack McGuire hit a two-run homer for Michigan State with two outs in the bottom of the second, but O'Reilly followed with two zeros to keep it a 2-0 ballgame. He was helped defensively in the fourth when DiGeorgio laid out for a force play and junior Carmen Sclafani ranged to the hole on the left side to start an inning-ending double play.
 
Then in the top of the fifth, Rutgers broke through with five runs on five hits to take the lead. Sclafani picked up the first hit of the day with a single up the middle and DiGeorgio followed with one his own through the left side. After a foul pop, Bowerbank loaded the bases with an infield single. That brought up freshman Mike Nyisztor, who connected for his team-leading 20^th RBI of the season on a single to right field to put the Scarlet Knights on the board. Harris next worked to a full count before drilling a three-run triple to left-center to put the visitors on top. He would immediately score on a sacrifice fly to left field by Walker.
 
O'Reilly followed with a shutdown inning and the offense tacked on another in the sixth. Folinusz lined a leadoff single, advanced to third on a DiGeorgio double and scored with two outs when Bowerbank hit an infield single.
 
Up 6-2, O'Reilly settled in to deal a perfect sixth and worked around two on and two out in the seventh. That was the first time the Spartans put a runner in scoring position. MSU did plate two in the eighth, but O'Reilly induced two grounders with the tying run at the plate to escape with the lead.
 
The Scarlet Knights quickly answered the two-run rally with two in the ninth. Bowerbank sparked the insurance with a single and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Nyisztor. The Spartans elected to intentionally walk Walker with two outs, but Matera worked ball four in the next at bat to load the bases. Folinusz jumped on the first pitch and lined a two-run double down the left field line to make it 8-4. Brito retired the side in the ninth.
 
Riley McCauley (1-4) suffered the loss with six runs allowed over 5.1 innings for the home team. It was the first time the Scarlet Knights beat the Spartans in a league game, as RU has now defeated each opponent since joining the Big Ten.
 
Game two of the doubleheader followed.

VICTORY! #RBaseball takes the opener at Michigan State, 8-4. O'Reilly earns the win with eight innings pitched & Scarlet Knights improve to 3-1 in the Big Ten. pic.twitter.com/oh3TgTjH0d

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 30, 2018

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