Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Down 4-0 in the third inning, Rutgers baseball held Monmouth scoreless from there and plated six unanswered runs to pick up a 6-4 win Wednesday at Bainton Field. It was the fourth victory in a row for the Scarlet Knights (10-14) heading into Big Ten play this weekend.



Senior Ryan Fleming (1-0) struck out five batters in 2.1 innings to ignite the bullpen to 5.1 scoreless frames to end the game. The left-hander earned his ninth career victory. Following in setup relief, freshman Eric Reardon sat down the side in order on eight pitches in the seventh and classmate Joe Neglia struck out two in a perfect eighth. Fifth-year senior Max Herrmann then closed out the game for the save. He now has four saves on the season and 13 in his career, tied with Chris Lillis (2003-07) for fourth-most in school history.

Offensively, sophomore Carmen Sclafani went 2-for-3 with two runs, highlighted by a solo home run over the 410 sign in dead center field. It is believed to be the first homer in that direction in Bainton Field history. Junior Milo Freeman also had a two-run single to put the Scarlet Knights ahead, while sophomore Mike Martinez scored two runs after entering as a pinch runner.

The Hawks (6-14) took the early lead on a run in the first inning and then scored three more in the third to take a 4-0 advantage. That included a two-run home run by Tom Jakubowski.

However, Rutgers charged back with a pair of runs in its half of the third. Sclafani and freshman Kevin Welsh both singled with no outs to puts runners at the corners for sophomore Jawuan Harris, who ripped an RBI single up the middle. Senior Mike Carter then produced an RBI grounder to cut the deficit in half.

Fleming entered in the fourth and escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep the game within striking distance. The senior would also strand a leadoff triple at third base in the sixth.

Sclafani made it a one-run game in the fifth on a towering shot the straightaway center field that carried into the forest of the batter's eye. It was his second long ball in five days.

Then in the sixth, Carter led off with a single and senior Christian Campbell walked to put two aboard. A pop up and a strikeout threatened to quiet the rally, but both Carter and Martinez, who entered as a pinch runner, executed a double steal to put two in scoring position. Next up, Freeman battled and grounded a ball up the middle that the second baseman fielded and threw to first late, which allowed Martinez to come all the way around as the go-ahead run.

That would prove to be enough for Reardon, Neglia and Herrmann to seal the victory. Martinez would add an insurance score on a botched fly ball that went to the fence, as the sophomore raced all the way around the diamond on the play.

Mike Brambilla (0-1) suffered the loss for Monmouth as one of six pitchers used. The Hawks only had one hit from the fifth inning on.

The Scarlet Knights will next open Big Ten play with a three-game series starting Friday versus Maryland at Bainton Field. It will be the first home conference opener since 2011.

NOTES
Rutgers improved to 37-8 since 2015 when scoring at least six runs in a game and 8-0 this year … Campbell made the start on the mound and struck out four in 3.2 innings … Carter has reached base in 23-of-24 games this season … Rutgers now leads the all-time series against Monmouth by the count of 28-9 … the game lasted two hours, 29 minutes in front of a crowd of 214.

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