Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Playing its fourth-straight road contest against a top-20 opponent to start the season, Rutgers baseball dropped a 7-3 game to No. 13 Virginia in the Friday series opener at Davenport Field. It was the first meeting between the programs since 1962.

RU (1-3) collected 10 hits in the game, but UVA (5-0) connected for four home runs out of 12 hits to take the win.

Senior Mike Carter led the Scarlet Knights offensively by reaching base four times in five appearances, registering two singles, a double, a walk and two runs scored. Junior Milo Freeman, who knocked in one, also had a three-hit showing. In addition, senior Christian Campbell contributed a productive game with two RBI singles, while classmate Tom Marcinczyk (double, walk) reached base multiple times and sophomore Jawuan Harris scored a run in the process of extending his on-base streak to 24 games.

On the mound, junior John O'Reilly (0-2) pitched five innings in his second start of the year. The right-hander surrendered four runs, but induced nine groundball outs and stranded eight runners on base. Senior Ryan Fleming worked the final two frames with no runs allowed.

The Scarlet Knights scored first for the third-straight game with a run in the first inning. Carter stroked a one-out double as the second batter of the game and immediately scored when Campbell lined an RBI single to left. However, Adam Haseley hit a two-run home run to give the Cavaliers a 2-1 advantage after one.

After UVA scored one with three consecutive two-out singles in the second, RU responded with a two-out run of its own in the third. Carter and Marcinczyk both drew walks, with Freeman delivering an RBI single to make it 3-2.

In the bottom of the third, Robbie Coman hit a solo home run to extend the home team's advantage to two.

The scoring continued in the fifth when Harris worked a leadoff walked and moved into scoring position on a groundout. Campbell came up next and laced an RBI single through the right side to make it a one-run game. Rutgers would load the bases later that inning and put two on in the sixth, but could not tie the game.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, two Virginia home runs plated three runs to extend the host's lead to the eventual final score, 7-3. Fleming was able to keep it at a four-run game by leaving three on in the eighth, but Rutgers could not rally in the ninth to make a comeback.

Daniel Lynch (2-0) earned the win for the Cavaliers with three runs permitted in a 5.1-inning start. Both Haseley and Coman struck two home runs at the plate and combined for the team's seven total RBIs.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m.

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