Box Score

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. -- Using a strong start by junior Mark McCoy (Barnegat, N.J.), solid bullpen work and a game-saving catch by senior Vinny Zarrillo (Forked River, N.J.), Rutgers baseball held off Seton Hall, 3-2, Friday at Owen T. Carroll Field. It was the first contest of a three-game, three-venue weekend series.

Earning his second win of the season, McCoy (2-6) was effective over six innings with two runs, four hits and two walks allowed. The left-hander struck out five in his 101-pitch outing. Following up, freshman Ryan Wares (Howell, N.J.) tossed a scoreless seventh, while sophomore Kyle Driscoll (Toms River, N.J.) held serve in the eighth. Senior Jon Young (Old Bridge, N.J.) struck out two in a perfect ninth to collect his second save of the season and the 11th of his career.

Rutgers was helped in the eighth by a dazzling grab by Zarrillo. With a runner at first and one out, Alex Falconi drilled a lined shot deep to left that seemed destined for the wall for a game-tying extra-base hit. However, Zarrillo found another gear and covered the ground to leap up and make a back-handed grab for the putout, reversing pivot to get it back to the infield. Junior shortstop John Jennings (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) took the relay and tossed to junior second baseman Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.) who threw to senior first baseman Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) for a momentum-swinging double play.

Offensively, the Scarlet Knights registered three doubles, a triple and six walks on the day. Suseck had two of the doubles to reach 11 for the season, while sophomore Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) notched his 10th two-bagger. Freshman Kyle Walker (Piscataway, N.J.) picked up his first career triple and sophomore Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) walked twice.

After each side went down scoreless in the first, the Scarlet Knights (14-26-1) broke the seal with two in the second on three extra-base hits. Walker started off with a leadoff triple to right-center. Suseck stepped up next and immediately registered an RBI with a double to left. Following a sacrifice bunt by juniorR.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) and walk drawn by Carter, Campbell sent a ball to the left field corner to drive home Suseck.

The Pirates (19-16) answered with two runs of their own in third to tie the game, using a sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI single.

RU reclaimed the lead in the fifth. Jennings and Zarrillo both walked to start the inning, with D'Annunzio advancing both into scoring position on a bunt. Sophomore Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) worked another base on balls to load the bases, as Walker delivered an RBI with a fielder's choice grounder.

That would prove to be all the scoring for the game. McCoy ended his outing by recording a strikeout to leave two on base. Wares also worked out of a jam in the seventh by getting a called punchout on the outside corner. There was little drama in the ninth as Young sat down Seton Hall in order.

Seton Hall received 7.2 innings from its bullpen with one run allowed. Matt Leon (0-2) suffered the loss. The Pirates had six hits on the day.

The series between the Garden State rivals will continue Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Bainton Field. First pitch is 1 p.m., as extra traffic is expected on campus with the celebration of Rutgers Day. The series will wrap up Sunday at TD Bank Ballpark.



NOTES
Rutgers has won three consecutive games at Owen T. Carroll Field ... Marcinczyk has now reached base safely in 33 of the last 34 games ... RU is now 13-2 when leading after six innings this season ... the offense did not record a single in the game ... Young is tied for sixth in school history with 11 saves ... the game lasted two hours, 45 minutes.

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