Baseball Victorious at Columbia, 8-5

Tuesday, April 23

New York, N.Y.

3:30 PM

Rutgers University

16-21

Columbia

16-17

Rutgers

Columbia

Photo by: Mark Brown

Apr 23 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Bellissimo deals a career-high six innings and Sclafani picks up four RBIs

NEW YORK – Rutgers baseball (16-21) won for the 10^th time in the last 14 games with an 8-5 road victory at Columbia (16-17) Tuesday at Satow Stadium. The Scarlet Knights produced 14 hits at the plate and received a start of at least six innings on the mound for the eighth time in nine outings.

"I thought we came out confident today," head coach Joe Litterio said. "It was a great day to swing the bats in this ballpark. As a hitter, you get a little bit more aggressive with centerfield as close as it is here, and we needed that. We posted a big inning in the third and kind of sat back a bit, but did tack on a couple runs later to expand the lead. When you get to the ninth, we were up five and grand slam can't beat you there."

The Scarlet Knights scored seven runs in the first four innings to pull away, including a five-spot in the third. The rally was highlighted by back-to-back homers by senior Carmen Sclafani, a three-run shot, and freshman Chris Brito. Sclafani added an RBI double to make it four RBIs on the day on three hits, while redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi also had a three-hit performance with a pair of RBIs. In addition, sophomore Mike Nyisztor extended his on-base streak to 18 games and hitting streak to eight games after hitting a single and a double.

On the mound, freshman Jared Bellissimo pitched a career-high six innings with two earned runs permitted. The left-hander struck out five batters, walked only one and stranded six runners on base. He ended his start by snaring a liner up the middle and turning it into a double play.

"Jared went out and filled up the zone," Litterio said. "We have five games this week and it was important for him to get deep into the game and save the bullpen for the rest of the week. He did a great job."

Freshman Parker Scott followed with two innings of relief before classmate Garrett French closed out the ninth.

Columbia, the first-place team in the Ivy League, recorded 11 hits and left 11 runners on base. The Lions used six pitchers.

SCORING

Rutgers scored first for the 10^th time in the last 11 games with a run in the top of the second. Senior Tyler McNamara led off with a single to center and moved up two batters later when Brito was hit by a pitch. Following the second out of the inning, freshman Peter Serruto lined an RBI single to right field.
Josh Nicoloff hit a solo homer for the Lions in the bottom of the second to tie the score.
The Scarlet Knights used four hits in the top of the third to score five times and take a 6-1 lead. Nyisztor started the rally with a single, advanced on a pickoff error and a wild pitch, scoring on an RBI single by Dezzi. After McNamara walked, Sclafani blasted a three-run homer to straightaway center, his team-leading fifth of the season. Brito came up next and rocketed a solo homer down the left-field line for his third dinger.
The RU lead grew to 7-1 in the fourth when Dezzi delivered another RBI single. Junior Kevin Welsh had previously singled and stole second with two outs.
Columbia plated two in the fourth (one unearned) after loading the bases with no outs.
In the seventh, Dezzi hit a leadoff double and scored two batters later on a Sclafani double to right field.
The Lions registered two runs in the ninth on a sacrifice fly and a balk, but French ended the game on a comebacker before the tying run approached the plate.

NOTES

Rutgers hit back-to-back homers for the second time this season, as Sclafani and freshman Victor Valderrama achieved the feat on March 17 at Florida Gulf Coast.
Rutgers hit 5-for-13 with runners in scoring positon compared to 1-for-12 by Columbia.
The offense registered double-digit hits for the ninth time in the last 14 games after reaching the mark four times in the first 23 games.
Rutgers is 10-1 this season when scoring six runs in a game.
The game lasted three hours and 13 minutes.

UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights return to Bainton Field Wednesday to host Iona at 3 p.m. Junior Jack Parkinson is set to start on the mound for the Scarlet Knights.

BALLGAME! Scarlet Knights win for the 10th time in the last 14 games with an 8-5 road victory at Columbia.

- Bellissimo with six effective innings on the mound.
- Sclafani (four RBIs) & Brito crush back-to-back homers.
- Offense collects 14 hits. pic.twitter.com/OVixK8wF6S
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

Bellissimo snares the liner and throws to first for an inning-ending double play!@IvyOnESPN: https://t.co/rhpqvg6ubV

T7 | Rutgers 7, Columbia 3 pic.twitter.com/FFB5JC8tRV
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

Blum makes a nice running catch in right field to end the fifth! Two runners stranded.@IvyOnESPN: https://t.co/rhpqvg6ubV

T6 | Rutgers 7, Columbia 3 pic.twitter.com/NDxZWeoVaT
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

LOOK OUT! Brito follows with a rocket down the line to make it back-to-back jacks! Third homer of the season for the freshman.@IvyOnESPN: https://t.co/rhpqvg6ubV

T3 | Rutgers 6, Columbia 1 pic.twitter.com/222ywwSWhq
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

BIG FLY! Sclafani hits a no-doubt, three-run shot to center for his fifth homer of the season.@IvyOnESPN: https://t.co/rhpqvg6ubV

T3 | Rutgers 5, Columbia 1 pic.twitter.com/yPCqbGQbjx
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

Dezzi rips a single to center! Nyisztor (single) puts the Scarlet Knights back on top.@IvyOnESPN: https://t.co/rhpqvg6ubV

T3 | Rutgers 2, Columbia 1 pic.twitter.com/Te1RsrUGr9
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

Good piece of hitting by Serruto! A two-out RBI single scores McNamara. @IvyOnESPN

T2 | Rutgers 1, Columbia 0 pic.twitter.com/9fuIzrB7U0
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 23, 2019

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.