Baseball Overpowers Columbia, 15-4
May 01 | Baseball
Scarlet Knights improve to 10-5 at Bainton Field
The bats rebounded to post 18 hits, with 11 different players marking the column in the box score. Sophomore Kevin Welsh, redshirt freshman Dan DiGeorgio and redshirt sophomore Kevin Blum all collected three hits, while junior Carmen Sclafani had two. For Blum, he totaled a career-high four RBIs and junior Nick Matera added three to take over the team lead at 32 for the season. In addition, freshman Aaron McLaughlin notched a two-run single for his first collegiate hit.
On the mound, sophomore Eric Reardon (3-2) dealt five innings with two hits and one run allowed to pick up his third victory of the season. The left-hander has permitted just two earned runs in his last 11.2 innings of work. Sophomore Kyle Gerace followed up by collecting four outs without surrendering a run. Freshman Dylan McNulty and redshirt junior Ryan Wares also registered scoreless outings from the bullpen.
The Scarlet Knights attacked quickly with a run in the bottom of the first. DiGeorgio reached on catcher's interference with one out, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a grounder by Matera.
Then the second, the lead expanded to 6-0 after five crossed on five hits, all with two outs. Senior Milo Freeman started it with a walk. Welsh followed with a single, as Blum came through with an RBI single up the middle. After Blum stole second to put two in scoring position, freshman Mike Nyisztor chased both home on a single through the left side. Continuing, DiGeorgio also singled and was involved in a double steal with Nyisztor. The two scored when Matera struck the fifth consecutive single that forced out Columbia's starter.
The third inning saw Sclafani tack on another by singling, stealing second, moving up on an error and running in on a sacrifice fly by Blum. That made it 7-0, but the Lions (16-26) dented the scoreboard with one in the fifth. Responding right away, junior Jawuan Harris picked up a single and swiped two bases to bring his career total to 80, five short of the school record. He scored on an infield single by Blum.
Rutgers exploded once again with another five-spot in the sixth to put the game away. DiGeorgio scored for the third time on a double play, with Sclafani bringing in one on an infield single and Freeman and Welsh both striking for run-scoring triples. Blum added his fourth RBI on a single up the middle.
Senior Kyle Walker and freshman Anthony DeRosa capped the RU scoring in the seventh by touching home on the single by McLaughlin. RU totaled 12 RBIs with two outs in the game to bring the season number in the situation to 103.
Timmy Post (2-3) took the loss for Columbia.
The Scarlet Knights return to Bainton Field for six of their final nine games on the Big Ten schedule, starting Friday at 3 p.m. versus No. 13 Michigan.
BALLGAME! Rutgers uses 18 hits to down Columbia, 15-4! Kevin Blum drives in four RBI's while Nick Matera adds three for the Scarlet Knights! pic.twitter.com/UKveNkyBrI
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
The Scarlet Knights add two more courtesy of Aaron McLaughlin, who picks up his first hit and RBIs of his career!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
15-1 RU T8 pic.twitter.com/ckP6GBEUwr
Kyle Walker joins today's hit club, smashing a double to right center!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
13-1 RU B7 pic.twitter.com/C46eK3kFQ1
Make it back-to-back RBI triples for the Scarlet Knights, this one from Kevin Welsh!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
12-1 RU B6 pic.twitter.com/oxm8SjWNQL
Milo Freeman rakes his second triple of the season, brining around Sclafani!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
11-1 RU B6 pic.twitter.com/cmPLEDwwKk
Make it back-to-back steals for Jawuan Harris, who swipes third!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
7-1 RU B5 pic.twitter.com/m3dnwAVLPy
Make three runs batted in for Nick Matera, who makes it a 6-0 ballagem with his two-out, two-rbi single!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
6-0 RU B2. pic.twitter.com/OCSwBrDppe
Add two more! Mike Nyistor drives in two with his single through the left side!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
4-0 RU B2 pic.twitter.com/Eq0iLVQcaR
Bring him in! Kevin Blum drives in Mio Freeman with the RBI single up the middle.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
2-0 RU B2 pic.twitter.com/Y4YexSNrl2
Nice play from Kevin Welsh, who leaps to snag the liner!
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 1, 2018
1-0 RU B2 pic.twitter.com/i0c6jggqbI
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Reardon, Eric (3-2)
L: Post, Timmy (2-3)
Batting:
RBI: Porter, Ben 1 ; Robinette, Lane 2 ; Williams, Griffin 1
SH: Bury, Julian 1
SF: Porter, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Fisher, Alex 1 ; Holtz, Brett 1 ; Engel, Joe 1 ; DiFillipo, AJ 1
HBP: Holtz, Brett 1

Batting:
2B: Walker, Kyle 1
3B: Freeman, Milo 1 ; Welsh, Kevin 1
RBI: Nyisztor, Mike 2 ; Matera, Nick 3 ; Sclafani, Carmen 1 ; McLaughlin, Aaron 2 ; Freeman, Milo 1 ; Welsh, Kevin 1 ; Blum, Kevin 4
SF: Blum, Kevin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nyisztor, Mike 1 ; DiGeorgio, Danny 3 ; DeRosa, Anthony 1 ; Matera, Nick 1 ; Walker, Kyle 1 ; Harris, Jawuan 1 ; Sclafani, Carmen 2 ; Freeman, Milo 2 ; Welsh, Kevin 2 ; Blum, Kevin 1
SB: Nyisztor, Mike 1 ; DiGeorgio, Danny 2 ; Harris, Jawuan 2 ; Sclafani, Carmen 1 ; Blum, Kevin 1
CS: Sclafani, Carmen 1 ; Welsh, Kevin 1

















