April 14, 2017 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers baseball scored two to pull within one in the ninth inning, but left the tying run on base in a 7-6 loss to Purdue Friday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights suffered a defeat for the first time this season when reaching the six-run mark.
Rutgers (11-19, 0-4) out-hit Purdue (18-15, 6-4) by the count of 11-10 and stole six bases, but left 10 men on base. Senior Tom Marcinczyk reached base safely all five trips on three walks, a double and a single to lead the bats, while sophomore Jawuan Harris scored three runs in as many visits to the base paths. The outfielder also swiped three bases to bring his career total to 55, tied for eighth-most in school history. Sophomore Mike Martinez added two hits, a walk and two steals and classmate Carmen Sclafani singled and doubled. Senior Christian Campbell had three RBIs.
On the mound, senior Ryan Fleming closed out the game with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with one hit allowed to keep RU within striking distance. Freshman Kyle Gerace worked two innings after senior Gaby Rosa (3-3), who took the loss in a 4.1-inning start. The right-hander struck out four.
Down 7-4 in the ninth inning, the Scarlet Knights loaded the bases with no outs. Harris and Martinez both singled, with Marcinczyk taking ball four to put the tying run on. The Boilermakers then called on Ross Learnard from the bullpen. Next, Campbell and junior Milo Freeman both lifted sacrifice flies to cut the deficit to one. However, Learnard stranded Marcinczyk at first on a strikeout to pick up his third save of the season.
Tanner Andrews (5-2) was credited the win for Purdue after scattering eight hits and four runs over 5.2 innings. Nick Delesandro paced the visitors with three RBIs at the plate.
After Rosa retired the first six batters, the Scarlet Knights jumped on top with a run in the bottom of the second. Marcinczyk led off with a ground-rule double to right-center and scored two batters later on an RBI single by Freeman. However, the Boilermakers responded with three consecutive two-out RBI hits to take a 3-1 lead.
RU answered right back in its half of the third with a two-out rally. Harris, Martinez and Marcinczyk all drew ball four to load the bases for Campbell, who laced the first pitch of his at bat to left for a two-run single.
Nothing came across in the fourth, but Purdue picked up two in the fifth to take a 5-3 advantage. Rutgers chipped back with one in the bottom half. After one out, Harris ripped a double and moved up on a balk. Martinez came up next and laced an RBI single up the middle to make it a one-run game.
The visitors plated two insurance runs to up the margin to three in the seventh, which held in the ninth.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 1 p.m. from Bainton Field.
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