| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 1 |
| | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | X | 7 | 12 | 3 |
| Win-Driscoll (2-2) • Loss-Maier (0-4) • Save-Young (5) • T-2:41 • A-81 • Bainton Field |
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (April 1, 2014) - Rutgers baseball ran out to a big lead and held on late in a 7-5 victory over Iona Tuesday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights pounded out 12 hits, including five for extra bases.
Redshirt freshman Kyle Driscoll (Toms River, N.J.) (2-2) earned the win in his first career home start, pitching five scoreless innings with only one hit and two walks allowed. The right-hander struck out five batters in the 91-pitch outing. Classmate Max Herrmann (Rutherford, N.J.) followed with three hitless frames on five punchouts in relief.
Offensively, freshman Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) led the way with a 3-for-3 game, while senior Nick Favatella (Washington Township, N.J.) blasted his 10th career home run and tripled. Junior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) also had a pair of hits with a three-bagger included.
RU (10-13) put up two runs in the bottom of the second to jump ahead. Senior Lou Clemente (Union, N.J.) walked to lead off and came around from first two batters later on an RBI double down the left field line by Marcinczyk. Then following a dropped fly ball in the outfield and a hit by pitch, sophomore R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) drove in a run with an RBI infield single.
After Driscoll stranded a pair of runners on base to finish his outing, the Scarlet Knights rallied for two more runs in the fifth. Favatella roped a one-out triple and immediately circled the bases on a RBI single up the middle by senior Brian O'Grady (Warminster, Pa.). O'Grady then stole second with two outs and D'Annunzio came through with a run-scoring hit through the left side to make it 4-0.
Favatella connected for a two-run homer in the seventh, as the ball struck the foul pole in left field. Freshman Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) scored on the play after doubling.
The Scarlet Knights added what turned out to be an important insurance run in the eighth. D'Annunzio tripled to left to start and scored two batters later on a RBI single by freshman Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.).
With the score at 7-0, the Gaels (3-13) put together a furious rally to put the tying run on base in the top of the ninth, scoring five times on seven hits. Junior Jon Young (Old Bridge, N.J.) entered with one out and nailed down his fifth save with two outs from the bullpen. The right-hander threw all eight of his pitches for strikes to seal the win.
Bill Maier (0-4) took the loss for the Gaels, who used six pitchers in the game.
The teams will complete the home-and-home midweek series Wednesday in New Rochelle, N.Y. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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