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Big Ten Conference
Kevin Welsh
Mel Evans
2
Ohio State OSU 16-12, 2-1 Big Ten
3
Winner Rutgers RU 7-17, 1-2 Big Ten
Ohio State OSU
16-12, 2-1 Big Ten
2
Final
3
Rutgers RU
7-17, 1-2 Big Ten
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 R H E
Ohio State OSU 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 1
Rutgers RU 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 10 2

W: Acosta, Steven (1-0) L: Magno, Andrew (1-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

McNamara Delivers Walk-Off Single to Beat Ohio State in 15 Innings

Scarlet Knights take series finale in longest RU game since 2003

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior Tyler McNamara hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 15th to deliver Rutgers baseball (7-17, 1-2) a 3-2 win in the series finale against Ohio State (16-12, 2-1) Saturday at Bainton Field. It was the most innings for a Scarlet Knight game at Bainton Field since it opened it 2007, most for a Rutgers Big Ten game anywhere and most in any contest since playing 19 with Notre Dame in 2003.
 
"When you get into these conference series, one win could be the difference at the end of the year," head coach Joe Litterio said. "That's something we talked about between games today. We had tough losses in the first two games of this series and were in another tight game. We kept hanging in there. Our defense and pitching stepped up big time late in that game. That was the difference."
 
Junior Kevin Welsh started the bottom of the 15th hitting a grounder to shortstop, but the throw to first was muffed. Redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi then laid down a sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position for McNamara. The senior fell behind 0-2 in the count before lacing a single through the left side, with Welsh waved in and scoring without a play at the plate.
 
"We got a break with the dropped ball to start the 15th and McNamara came through like a senior should," Litterio said. "That was great to see." McNamara finished with a career-high four hits, the most by a Scarlet Knight in a game this year. Sophomore Mike Nyisztor and freshman Chris Brito both added two, as RU reached 10 for the fifth time in 2019.
 
On the mound, junior Tevin Murray pitched a career-high six innings with six strikeouts and two runs permitted. The bullpen followed with nine scoreless innings of relief. Freshman Garrett French picked up four outs, with junior Eric Reardon dealing a season-high 4.2 innings to move the game to extra innings. Freshman Parker Scott followed with only one baserunner surrendered in 1.2 innings. Closing it out, junior Steven Acosta (1-0) earned his first win by collecting the final four outs pitching in his third game of the series.
 
The Scarlet Knights did not allow a run in the final 12 innings and turned two double plays in extra innings.
 
Griffan Smith started for the Buckeyes and permitted two runs over five innings before Will Pfenning came in and tossed seven scoreless innings of relief. Andrew Magno (1-3) took the loss with the unearned run permitted in the 15th.
 
SCORING
  • Rutgers took the lead in the second when McNamara hit a leadoff single, stole second, advanced on sacrifice bunt by freshman Victor Valderrama and scored on an RBI single to right-center by Brito.
  • Brady Cherry hit a two-run homer down the left field line for Ohio State in the second inning.
  • The Scarlet Knights evened the game at two in the third. Nyisztor started the inning with a single through the left side and moved up on one-out wild pitch. Dezzi then connected on an RBI single up the middle.
  • The scoring resurfaced in the 15th. McNamara came through with the winning single, his first career walk-off hit.
 
NOTES
  • Rutgers now has three walk-off victories this season, also winning on a wild pitch in the 10th inning in the home opener versus Monmouth and coming back to defeat Butler, 3-2, on a Dezzi single in the bottom of the ninth in a game at New Orleans.
  • The 2003 19-inning game referenced was on May 11 of that year and ended with a Steve Normane walk-off homer to beat Notre Dame. The last RU game to reach 14 innings was May 2, 2014, which ended on a Brian O'Grady walk-off homer to beat Temple.
  • Rutgers has had 13 of its last 15 games decided by three runs or less and improved to 5-4 in one-run games this season.
  • The five Rutgers pitchers combined to hold Ohio State to 1-for-13 with two outs and 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
  • The game saw a combined 436 pitches and lasted four hours, six minutes.
  • Seven of the nine Big Ten games between Rutgers and Ohio State have been decided by three runs or less.
  • Ohio State stranded 13 runners on base and Rutgers left 12 on.
  • The Scarlet Knights have now played in extra innings four times this season (2-2).
  • The game-time temperature was 77 degrees.
 
UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights wrap up a five-game homestand Wednesday at 3 p.m. versus Wagner.
 
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