NEW YORK, N.Y. - Rutgers used a pair of hits from Joey Ianiero (Bloomsburg, Pa.) and Donny Callahan (Sparta, N.J.) to drive in two runs in the 11th inning and lift the Scarlet Knights to a 5-4, extra-inning victory over Columbia Tuesday afternoon at Andy Coakly Field in New York City.
After Columbia forced extra-innings with a run in the bottom of the ninth, the Scarlet Knights (9-18) scored two runs in the 11th to re-gain the advantage. Junior Luis Feliz (New Brunswick, N.J.) led off the frame with a walk, was sacrificed over and reached third on a groundout. With two outs, Ianiero hit a dribbler between the pitcher and third base and beat out the throw while Feliz scored the go-ahead run. On the close play at first, the throw was wild, allowing Ianiero to move over to second on the play. The hot-hitting Callahan then tripled down the right-field line to give the Scarlet Knights an all-important insurance run with Ianiero coming around to score.
The extra run proved to be crucial as Columbia (10-18) strung together a two-out rally with three-straight singles to score one run, but closer Jason Downey (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) closed the door on the equalizer with his third strikeout of the frame to seal the win.
Rutgers had built a two-run lead early on when the Scarlet Knights capitalized on a pair of Lion errors to score single runs in the second and third. Junior Vinnie Sangemino (Nutley, N.J.) doubled to the gap in right-center in the second and came around to score later in the inning when the throw to first on a Jayson Hernandez (Belmar, N.J.) grounder was wild. A second throwing error by the shortstop one inning later put Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) on base and the Scarlet Knight came around to score later in the frame on a Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) single to left field.
A Rutgers infield error put Kevin Roberts on in the third and a Nick Cox double plated him for the Lions' first run. A Jason Banos walk and a pair of stolen bases proceeded a single from Ron Williams to push across the tying run for Columbia. Columbia threatened for more in the inning, but Callahan recorded the second out on a catch and the left fielder fired home to Hernandez and the catcher applied the tag to end the inning.
The Scarlet Knights manufactured a run in the fifth when Vic Cegles (Phoenix, Ariz.) led off with a single, was sacrificed over and moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Betteridge groundout.
Columbia threatened to tie it back up one inning later with a men on first and second with one out, but Rutgers went to its bullpen, calling on Kevin Lillis (Fair Haven, N.J.) to replace starter Dale Hering (Montgomery, N.J.), and the move resulted in a pair of strikeouts by the second-year reliever to end the inning.
Jon Tasman led off the ninth with a double to center field and the call went to the bullpen again, this time for Downey, Rutgers' closer. With Tasman now on second (passed ball), Downey registered his first strikeout, but Jake Summerhays drove home the tying run with a single back up the middle. The Lions followed a second strikeout with a single and moved a pair of runners into scoring position on another passed ball. Downey closed the door on Columbia with his third strikeout of the frame to set up the 11th inning dramatics.
Downey (2-0) was excellent, gaining all nine of his outs, via strikeouts in three innings of relief work to earn the win. In his first career start, Hering allowed just two hits and one earned run (two total) and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Dan Bracey (1-4) was saddled with the loss for Columbia with the two runs in his lone inning of work in the 11th.
Tuesday's game ends a five-game road swing for the Scarlet Knights, who return to Piscataway to host Delaware tomorrow in a 3:30 p.m. game at Bainton Field.
