Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Junior John O'Reilly struck out a career-high seven over seven innings, but Rutgers baseball fell, 3-0, in its season opener at No. 17 Miami in front of a Friday crowd of 3,135 at Alex Rodriguez Park. The game featured just a combined seven hits between the teams.

Making his 22nd career start, but first on Opening Day, O'Reilly (0-1) matched his career high with seven innings pitched, the most by a Scarlet Knight in the first game of the year since current assistant coach Casey Gaynor worked eight-plus at Old Dominion in 2008. The right-hander also picked up eight outs on the ground and stranded five runners on base. He scattered three hits in the 102-pitch tough-luck defeat.

The Hurricanes (1-0) scored on a two-run home run by Romy Gonzalez in the second inning and on a misplayed pop fly that resulted in an unearned run in the eighth. Fifth-year senior Max Herrmann struck out two in an inning following O'Reilly to keep the game within striking distance.

Offensively, the Scarlet Knights (0-1) were held to three hits in the game, as junior Milo Freeman, senior Mike Carter and sophomore Luke Bowerbank all singled. The best scoring chance came in the seventh when sophomore Jawuan Harris worked a walk and promptly took second for his first stolen base of the season. He would advance to third with no outs on a wild pitch, but was stranded after a foul pop, strikeout and groundout.

Jesse Lepore (1-0) hurled six shutout innings for the victory for UM, striking out seven with no walks surrendered. Frankie Bartow worked the ninth to collect the save.

Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3. Sophomore Serafino Brito will make the start on the mound for RU.

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