March 29, 2015 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers baseball threatened in the ninth inning, but fell on the short side of 1-0 pitcher's duel against Ohio State Sunday at Bainton Field. The rubber game of the series lasted just one hour, 57 minutes.
Left-hander Ryan Riga (5-1) tossed a shutout to earn the victory for the Buckeyes, striking out five and allowing six hits over nine innings. Sophomore Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) (1-2) permitted just two hits and one run over seven frames, but took the tough-luck defeat. The right-hander recorded 12 outs through the air.
Down a run in the final frame, freshman Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) led off with an infield single and was substituted in favor of a pinch runner. Senior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) then laid down an unplayable bunt for a hit, but Buckeye catcher Aaron Gretz grabbed the ball and fired behind to second for an out. D'Annunzio stole second to move into scoring position for sophomore Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.), who laced a sharp single to right. D'Annunzio was waved around, but OSU right fielder Pat Border fired a strike to home to record the second out. Senior Vinny Zarrillo (Forked River, N.J.) stepped up next and crushed a ball to the left field corner, but left fielder Ronnie Dawson laid out for the game-ending putout.
Rosa and Riga each locked in early, with the first three innings taking just 30 minutes. Ohio State tried to score on an error in the second, but sophomore Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) quickly recovered to nail the runner at home.
The Buckeyes (18-7, 4-2) broke the scoreless tie in the sixth. Troy Montgomery walked with one out and went in motion on a full-count pitch with two down, scoring on a grounder up the middle by Border that went all the way to the wall for a triple.
That run would ultimately stand despite Rutgers connecting for three hits in the ninth.
Sophomore Max Herrmann (Rutherford, N.J.) provided two innings of scoreless relief for RU (8-16, 3-3), logging two strikeouts. Rosa and Herrmann surrendered only three hits to Ohio State on the day.
The Scarlet Knights will continue their 10-game homestand Tuesday against Manhattan. First pitch from Bainton Field is set for 3 p.m.
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