March 24, 2017 Box Score
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Senior Mike Carter hit a home run in the first inning and sophomore pitcher Serafino Brito took it from there to lead Rutgers baseball to a 5-1 road win over USC Upstate Friday at Harley Park. It was the first meeting between the Scarlet Knights (7-14) and Spartans (12-12).
Brito (1-5) picked up his first win of the season and sixth of his career by matching his collegiate high with seven innings worked, allowing no runs or walks in the outing. The right-hander permitted eight hits, but stranded eight on base and struck out five. Senior Ryan Fleming followed with one frame, while fifth-year senior Max Herrmann struck out two to close out the game. It was the first time this year RU did not grant a walk from the mound.
Offensively, Carter blasted his first career home run, later doubled and collected four RBIs overall to lead the attack. He now has 17 batted in to pace the lineup. Freshman Kevin Welsh added one knocked in with two runs, as sophomore Jawuan Harris and senior Christian Campbell each had two hits. The hitters took just two strikeouts on the night.
The Scarlet Knights struck quickly with two runs in the first two innings. Harris put the first pitch of the game down the left field line for a double and Carter followed with a shot over the wall in right-center. Then in the second, sophomore Carmen Sclafani was hit by a pitch with two outs and advanced on a ball in the dirt. Welsh next came through with a two-out RBI single, as Sclafani angled around the tag at the plate. Harris then singled to force a pitching change and Carter greeted the new hurler with an RBI double to the right field corner.
The game would stay 4-0 through the middle innings, with Brito settling in and escaping threats. He would end his start by leaving a runner at second base in the seventh inning.
The Spartans picked up one on an unearned run in the eighth, but Fleming induced a double play and another ground ball to prevent a rally. Rutgers did get that run back in the ninth. Welsh walked and advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. Carter then fouled off multiple two-strike pitches and hit the ball to a backed-up shortstop to send Welsh home.
Herrmann sat down the side in order in the final inning.
Sean Hupp (0-1) suffered the loss for the home team with four runs permitted in a 1.2-inning start. USC Upstate totaled nine hits.
Due to rain in the forecast for Sunday, the two teams have agreed to play a doubleheader Saturday to finish off the series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
NOTES
Brito previously went seven innings in an April 13, 2016 win over Seton Hall … the last time the pitching staff allowed no walks was April 1, 2016 against Indiana … Herrmann has appeared in 73 career games, tied with Barry Welsh (1997-2000) for sixth-most in school history … Rutgers has now played three members of the Atlantic Sun this season, previously traveling to North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast … the game lasted two hours, 30 minutes and the game-time temperature was 71 degrees.
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