LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Rutgers baseball team erupted for nine runs in the fifth inning en route to a 13-5 victory over Louisville in the Scarlet Knights' season finale Saturday afternoon in front of 1,699 fans at Jim Paterson Stadium.
Rutgers collected nine extra-base hits in its 13-hit attack, including home runs from Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.), Tom Edwards (West Caldwell, N.J.) and Donny Callahan (Sparta, N.J.). Callahan's home run was the first of his career in his final collegiate game.
It marked the Scarlet Knights' first victory in Louisville in six games since the Cardinals joined the BIG EAST Conference for the 2006 season.
Rutgers finished the season 23-29-1 overall and 11-16 in the BIG EAST, finishing just outside of the league tournament picture in ninth place.
Three hits, including a pair of doubles from Louisville's Josh Richmond and Stewart Ijames gave the Cardinals two runs in the second to open the scoring. Louisville used three more hits and a Scarlet Knight error to plate two more runs in the second and threatened for more, loading the bases with two outs in the frame. Rutgers went to its bullpen bringing in senior Matt Patterson (Passaic, N.J.) for starter Tony Wargo (New Providence, N.J.). The lefty induced an inning-ending fly out to prevent any further damage.
Jimenez took Louisville starter Bob Revesz's first offering over the left-field fence to put Rutgers on the board with the solo home run in the fourth. Junior Vinnie Sangemino (Nutley, N.J.) then followed a Luis Feliz (New Brunswick, N.J.) walk with a double to the fence in left-center field to plate a second run.
The Cardinals pushed their lead to 5-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth, but the Scarlet Knights responded with the big fifth inning to take the advantage.
Sophomore Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) led off the fifth with a double down the left-field line and Edwards hit a line-drive off the pitcher's hand for a single, knocking the hurler out of the game. Louisville was forced to bring in Gabriel Shaw for the injured Bob Revesz. Senior Jon Gossard (Harrington, N.J.) greeted the new Cardinal hurler with an RBI single to bring home Betteridge to open the Scarlet Knights' scoring barrage. A Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.) walk loaded the bases and Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) drilled a line drive that ricocheted off the shortstop's glove and landed in center field to bring home Edwards. Junior Luis Feliz (New Brunswick, N.J.) found the gap in right-center field for a two-run double to plate Gossard and Matthews and make Shaw's day short. Sangemino greeted new pitcher Neil Holland with his second double of the contest to score Jimenez and Feliz. Callahan added to the offensive outburst with his first career home run, a two-run shot over the right-field fence and Edwards capped the scoring with a solo home run to right field. When the dust settled, the Scarlet Knights scored nine runs on seven hits to open up an 11-5 lead.
Louisville loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom half of the frame, but Patterson worked out of the jam with a fielder's choice to end the inning unscathed.
A two-out single from Sangemino and a double from Vic Cegles (Phoenix, Ariz.) gave the Scarlet Knights two more runs to push their lead to 13-5 in the sixth.
Patterson settled in, finishing the final 7.1 innings to improve to 3-1 on the season in his final collegiate outing. The senior surrendered just one run on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts and didn't allow a runner past first base in the final four frames. He became the Scarlet Knights all-time leader in appearances in a season yesterday and extended that record with his 31st appearance in 2008 on Saturday.
Edwards led the Scarlet Knights with a 4-for-5 day, while Sangemino went 3-for-4 with four RBI.
Saturday marked the end of the careers of Rutgers' five-member senior class - Steve Holt (Toms River, N.J.),Callahan, Cegles, Gossard and Patterson. Four of those five competed in Saturday's contest, while Holt was injured. The quintet was responsible for more than 125 victories in their careers and the BIG EAST Regular-Season and Tournament title in 2007.
