CLEARWATER, FL - Rutgers freshman Matt Giannini (Watchung, NJ) pitched eight strong innings and junior Mike Bionde (Pompton Plains, NJ) went 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to lead the sixth-seeded Scarlet Knights past second-seeded Connecticut, 9-5, Thursday afternoon in an elimination game at the BIG EAST Championship at Bright House Networks Field.

The Scarlet Knights (29-27-1) will now face third-seeded Louisville, in a rematch of Tuesday's tournament opener, tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. Should RU win the morning game, the two teams will square off again in a 5:00 p.m. game later in the day. Rutgers needs to defeat the Cardinals twice tomorrow to move on to Saturday's championship game.   

The Scarlet Knights used a UConn error to plate the game's first run in the third inning. With Bionde on first (single), senior Jeff Grose (Iselin, NJ) laid a perfect bunt down the third base line for a single. The Huskie third baseman's throw to first base was off target, allowing Bionde to race all the way around for the score.

After a 1-2-3 top-of-the fourth for UConn, the Scarlet Knights, for the second-straight day, blew the game open with an offensive explosion in the fourth. Tim Querns (Cherry Hill, NJ) followed a pair of hit batsmen with an RBI single. Bionde then collected his second hit of the contest to drive in another score. RU plated its third run of the frame on a Luis Feliz (New Brunswick, NJ) fielder's choice. Singles by Todd Frazier (Toms River, NJ) and Ryan Hill (Hillsdale, NJ) and a Dave Williams (Franklin, NJ) double brought home four more runs to cap a seven-run inning for the Scarlet Knights as Rutgers surged out to an 8-0 lead.

Connecticut (39-18-1) got two runs back in the fifth, before RU tacked on a ninth score on a Feliz sacrifice fly, ending Huskie starter Nick Tucci's day after 4.2 innings.

The Huskies plated three runs in the ninth to make it 9-5, before Chris Lillis (Fair Haven, NJ), making his second relief appearance in as many days, closed it out for RU. 

Giannini earned the win, scattering eight hits over eight innings, while surrendering just one extra-base hit. He didn't give up his first hit until the third inning, while striking out six batters in the contest.

Rutgers handed Tucci just his second loss of the season, tagging him for 10 hits, and scoring nine runs (eight earned) in 4.2 innings. Tucci (9-2) recorded five strikeouts on the day.

The victory avenges three losses to the Huskies in regular-season play in Storrs, CT, last weekend.

For the second-straight day, eight of the nine Rutgers batters registered a hit in the game, with Bionde leading the way again with a 4-for-4 effort. He is 8-for-12 (.667) with five RBI in Rutgers' three games in the BIG EAST Championship.