April 18, 2017 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers baseball scored at least six runs for the fifth-straight game, but it was not enough in a 9-6 loss to Seton Hall Tuesday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights and Pirates have met every season on the diamond since 1987 except for 2014.
Senior Mike Carter, who leads the Big Ten in batting, had three singles to up his average to .385 on the season. He has reached base in 31-of-33 contests with 15 multiple-hit games. Senior Tom Marcinczyk boarded the bases three times and knocked in two, while sophomore Carmen Sclafani walked twice, doubled and scored twice. Sophomores Jawuan Harris and Mike Martinez added two hits apiece. Overall, RU (13-20) collected 11 hits in the game.
On the mound, senior Christian Campbell (2-3) allowed just two hits in a 5.1-inning start, but fell victim to three unearned runs in the outing. Sophomore Kevin Romero worked two scoreless frames out of the bullpen and senior Colin Bohnert stranded a pair in the ninth to keep Rutgers within striking distance late.
The Pirates (17-16) scored first on an error in the second before the Scarlet Knights matched the run in the third. Martinez hit a one-out double and moved up a grounder to the right side by Marcinczyk. Then in the next at bat, a wild pitch allowed Martinez to run home.
A safety squeeze put the visitors back on top in the fifth. However, RU rallied for a pair of runs to take the lead right after. Sclafani started with a walk and Carter singled to put runners at the corners. That brought up Harris, who smashed an RBI single through the right side. A pitching change and two outs followed, but sophomore Luke Bowerbank connected for an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-2.
From there, Seton Hall took advantage of three walks and one error in the sixth to plate three. Four more came home on four hits in the seventh build a 9-3 lead.
The Scarlet Knights chipped back after the seventh-inning stretch when Carter and Harris both scored on a Marcinczyk single. In the eighth, Sclafani dropped in a double and came in after Carter lined a single to right field.
Marcinczyk did draw a one-out walk in the ninth, but Noah Thompson retired the next two to earn his first save of the season. Corey Sawyer (1-0) earned the win, with Ryan Testani following with three frames from the bullpen. Matt Toke had three hits and a walk for the Pirates.
The two teams will complete the home-and-home midweek set Wednesday at 4 p.m at Owen T. Carroll Field.
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