April 23, 2016 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Freshman Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.) put Rutgers baseball ahead with a two-out, pinch-hit double in the seventh inning to help top Penn State, 6-4, in front of a season-high 559 fans Saturday at Bainton Field. Coupled with Friday's 5-0 victory, the Scarlet Knights clinched the Big Ten weekend series against the Nittany Lions.
The triumph moved RU over .500 for the first time this season at 20-19 and extends its winning streak to a season-best four games. In addition, Rutgers is now 5-6 in the Big Ten and 11-1 at Bainton Field, matching the best home start since 2007. PSU dropped to 23-17 overall and 8-6 in the league.
With the game knotted at four in the bottom of the seventh, the Scarlet Knights reclaimed the lead with a pair of runs knocked in by Martinez. Junior Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) led off with an infield single and moved up on long fly ball to center by fifth-year senior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.), advancing to third on a wild pitch. Next up, junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) drew a five-pitch walk and stole second. However, the Nittany Lions brought in side-winder Jack Anderson, the Big Ten leader in saves, who picked up the second out on a strikeout. Head coach Joe Litterio then decided to pinch hit Martinez. He fell behind in the count, but found a pitch to drive and lifted a towering shot that fell just short of the left field fence and bounded over for a go-ahead, ground-rule double that brought home two.
Junior Ryan Fleming (Churchville, Pa.) worked around a one-out single in the eighth to hold the lead, with redshirt junior Max Herrmann (Rutherford, N.J.) taking over in the ninth. The left-hander surrendered a pair of hits, but collected the save with two fly outs and a strikeout.
Sophomore John O'Reilly (Northvale, N.J.) turned in his best start of the season with six shutout frames to start the appearance. The right-hander ended up logging 6.2 innings with three earned runs permitted, striking out six on a career-high 105 pitches. Fleming (2-0) earned his fifth career win by retiring four of the five batters he faced. Herrmann made his team-leading 15th appearance and now has eight saves as a Scarlet Knight.
At the plate, RU managed just six hits, but worked seven walks. Senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) reached base four times to bring his on-base percentage to a Big Ten-best .538 and scored twice. Next in the batting order, Carter also scored twice with two singles, extending his on-base streak to 13. Marcinczyk had a productive day with two RBIs, two walks and two runs scored.
Playing front of a large contingent of alumni, Rutgers jumped to a quick 3-0 lead after one inning. Devish was nipped by the ball on the first pitch and ran to third on a single by Carter. A pop up went down as the first out, but Carter was also able to get into scoring position on a wild pitch. In the next sequence, Marcinczyk ambushed a 3-0 pitch for a two-run double that bounced over the 410 sign in dead center. Keeping it going, freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) laced a double of its own to drive in Marcinczyk.
O'Reilly kept that lead through the middle innings until the Scarlet Knights tacked on another in the fifth. Devish drew a one-out walk, tagged up on a deep fly to left by Carter and then stole third base. In the same play as the steal, the throw went sailing into the outfield to allow the catcher to take the plate via error.
That 4-0 lead did not hold in the seventh, as the Nittany Lions rallied for their first runs of the series to even the game. All four came in with two outs, with the tying run crossing after an errant relay.
Undeterred, RU bounced back in the bottom of the seventh to retake the lead in part to Martinez' heroics.
Dakota Forsyth (1-2) suffered the loss for the visitors with two runs allowed in relief, with starter Sal Biasi working 4.2 innings. Penn State had 11 hits, but stranded 12 runners on base during the game.
The Scarlet Knights will look for their first Big Ten sweep Sunday in the final game of the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Bainton Field. Both BTN Plus and WRSU 88.7-FM will have the coverage.
NOTES
Rutgers had its streak of 25 consecutive scoreless innings pitched snapped in the seventh inning … the team stole four more bases to reach 89, fourth-most in a season in school history … RU now has 16 games this season with at least three steals … Rutgers has won 17 of its last 19 at home dating back to last season … the team is 11-4 in April … it was the 17th game this season decided by two runs or less … Marcinczyk tied his career-high with six putouts in the outfield, while Carter made two running catches to strand runners on … the game lasted two hours, 49 minutes.
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