PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior
Tyler McNamara hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 15
th 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.
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"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."
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Junior
Kevin Welsh started the bottom of the 15
th 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.
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"We got a break with the dropped ball to start the 15
th 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.
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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.
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The Scarlet Knights did not allow a run in the final 12 innings and turned two double plays in extra innings.
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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 15
th.
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SCORING
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UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights wrap up a five-game homestand Wednesday at 3 p.m. versus Wagner.
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