Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Three pitchers combined to toss a five-hit shutout, as Rutgers baseball blanked Fordham, 5-0, Wednesday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights improved to 6-1 at home with the victory.

Freshman Serafino Brito (Oakland, N.J.) (3-2) earned the win with three hits permitted over five scoreless frames, striking out three and walking one. The right-hander threw 57 pitches in the outing. Junior Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) followed that up with three innings out of the bullpen. He allowed two hits, but wiped one out with a ground ball double play in the eighth. Closing it out, freshman Kevin Romero (Garfield, N.J.) retired all three batters faced in the ninth. The trio never let a Fordham runner reach third base.

It was the first shutout for RU (12-16) since April 22/May 5, 2015 over St. Peter's, 5-0. In addition, it was the third time this season the Scarlet Knights held an opponent to five hits or less, also happening at Florida Gulf Coast (March 16, 4) and at Old Dominion (March 5, 5).



At the plate, fifth-year senior John Jennings (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) returned to the starting lineup for the first time since March 16 and went 3-for-3 with a run scored and a steal. Freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, N.J.) added two hits, while senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) reached base three times and stole two bases. Both Campbell and junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) knocked in a run.

Rutgers quickly jumped ahead with three runs in the first inning, all scoring with two out. Junior Mike Carter (Bloomfield, N.J.) started the rally with a one-out bunt single and advanced into scoring position on a groundout. Next up, Marcinczyk drove an RBI triple to the wall in right-center and came around on the same play after a mishandled relay. Harris kept the inning going with a double and then scored on a single by Campbell.

The lead grew with another two-out score in the second. Jennings lined a leadoff single, stole second and scored on an errant pickoff throw with Carter at first. The final run also scored unearned in the fifth when Devish singled, stole two bases and crossed the plate on a passed ball after a called strike three.

The five runs were all the pitching staff needed, as RU played errorless baseball defensively, turned two double plays and stranded five Fordham runners on base.

Luke Stampfl (1-1) suffered the loss for the Rams (14-15) with three runs and four hits permitted in a one-inning start. The team used six different pitchers in the ballgame. Offensively, Ian Edmiston had two of the five hits, but Fordham went 1-for-8 with runners on and only put the leadoff hitter on once.

The Scarlet Knights will continue their homestand Friday with a 3 p.m. game against St. Joseph's at Bainton Field. It will be the first meeting between the teams since 1995.

NOTES
Rutgers has won four of its last five over Fordham … it was the first shutout win for RU over the Rams since 6-0 in 1989 … in the last two seasons, Campbell has pitched six scoreless innings versus Fordham with two hits allowed … the Scarlet Knights have won 12 of their last 14 at Bainton Field dating back to last season … the offense added four more stolen bases to bring the season total to 57 … the game featured four double plays … Rutgers improved to 9-0 when out-hitting the opponent … the contest lasted two hours, 17 minutes.

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