PISCATAWAY, N.J.  – Delaware broke a 3-3 tie with an eight-run fifth inning to earn a 12-5 victory over the Rutgers baseball team Tuesday afternoon at Bainton Field in Piscataway.

Rutgers (17-25) got on the board first in the contest with two-out rally in the opening frame. Sophomore Jaren Matthews (Teaneck, N.J.) singled back up the middle, stole second and moved to third on an infield throwing error where fellow sophomore Pat Biserta (Point Pleasant, N.J.) drove him home on a double to the gap in left-center field to give RU the early advantage.

Biserta collected his second RBI of the contest two innings later, driving in Matthews again, this time with a single back up the middle, and RU added a second score in the inning on a Jayson Hernandez (Belmar, N.J.) single to center field to build a 3-0 lead on the Blue Hens.

Delaware, however, tied it up with a three-run fourth inning, capping the scoring on a two-run triple from Kyle Davis to the gap in left-center field.

Three-straight doubles to lead off the fifth brought in two runs for the Blue Hens to give them their first lead of the contest and chase Rutgers starter Kyle Bradley (Howell, N.J.) out of the game. Delaware continued its success against a pair of Scarlet Knight relievers in the frame, totaling eight runs on eight hits in the inning to surge out to an 11-3 advantage.   

Rutgers got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the fifth on Hernandez’ second RBI single to center field of the afternoon to make it 11-4. 

The Blue Hens and Scarlet Knights traded runs in the seventh with RU getting its score on the first career home run for freshman Ryan Kapp (Toms River, N.J.) to make it 12-5. 

Bradley (3-3) suffered the loss, yielding six runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in four innings of work, while Delaware’s Devon Pearson (2-2) got the victory in relief with a run on three hits and a strikeout in 1.2 innings. Will Blackman started the contest for the Blue Hens but was removed after three innings, giving up two earned runs (three total) on five hits and a strikeout.  

Senior pitcher Jon McCue (Hillside, N.J.) made his first appearance in nearly a year after coming back from an injury suffered last season.

The Scarlet Knights collected nine hits in the contest, led by Matthews’ 3-for-4 day at the plate with three runs scored.

RU will return to action tomorrow with a 3:30 game against Monmouth at Bainton Field.