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Big Ten Conference
Carmen Sclafani
Ben Solomon/Rutgers Athletics
10
Wagner WAGNER 7-17
11
Winner Rutgers RU 8-17
Wagner WAGNER
7-17
10
Final
11
Rutgers RU
8-17
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Wagner WAGNER 1 1 1 0 3 0 1 3 0 10 10 0
Rutgers RU 0 0 3 3 2 0 3 0 X 11 12 3

W: Acosta, Steven (2-0) L: LAUK, Ryan (0-2) S: Brito, Serafino (3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Sclafani Powers Baseball Over Wagner

Scarlet Knights post a season-high 11 runs

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Senior Carmen Sclafani went 4-for-4 with seven RBIs to lift Rutgers baseball (8-17) to an 11-10 victory over Wagner (7-17) Wednesday at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights improved to 6-4 in one-run games this season and have had 14 of the last 16 contests decided by three runs or less.
 
"Another tight game today and the team is really learning from these experiences," head coach Joe Litterio said. "We had some good at bats at the plate and took advantage of the gale-force winds. You expect to put up some runs when the wind is like this, every ball in play is an adventure. The hitters worked to positive counts and came through with runners in scoring position. That was good to see."
 
The 11 runs marked a season high for the Scarlet Knights, as the bats went 8-for-14 with runners in scoring positon. Sclafani connected for a double in his first at bat, launched a three-run homer and then smacked a pair of two-run singles to collect a career-high four hits. The seven knocked in also marked a new personal standard and had previously been achieved in a game by an RU player only three times since 2000 (Michael Lang at Notre Dame in 2010, Jon Gossard at Georgetown in 2008, Matt Wolski vs. St. John's in 2001).
 
"Carmen has worked really hard this week on his two-strike approach," Litterio said. "He was looking up the middle and the other way. That led to four good at bats today."
 
Freshman Chris Brito joined Sclafani with three runs scored on the day, reaching on two singles and a hit by pitch.
 
On the mound, senior Serafino Brito earned a five-out save by stranding the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and working a scoreless ninth. He now owns eight career saves. SCORING
  • Wagner scored one in the first after a leadoff double and a sacrifice fly two batters later.
  • The Seahawks added one in the second and another in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
  • Rutgers evened the game with three runs on five hits in the third. Sclafani and senior Luke Bowerbank both doubled to start the inning and put two in scoring position. Freshman Andy Axelson then picked up his first collegiate RBI on a single to make it 3-1. Following a double play, junior Kevin Welsh beat out an infield single to bring home Bowerbank. Welsh then stole second and scored on a single to center field hit by redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi that tied the game at three.
  • Sclafani put the Scarlet Knights on top with a three-run homer to left field in the fourth inning, his 10th career long ball. Brito started the inning being hit by a pitch and senior Tyler McNamara walked to put two aboard.
  • Wagner tied the game at six with three runs on three hits and an error in the top of the fifth.
  • In the bottom of the fifth, Sclafani came through with a two-out, two-run single with bases loaded to put RU back on top, 8-6.
  • A two-out RBI single by Wagner made it 8-7 in the seventh.
  • The Scarlet Knights expanded their lead to 11-7 in the bottom of the seventh. Brito, McNamara and freshman Victor Valderrama all singled to start the inning, with Sclafani lacing a two-run single to make it seven knocked in on the day. Sophomore Mike Nyisztor later drew a walk with bases loaded to bring home another, which proved to be the decisive run.
  • Wagner countered with three in the top of the eighth, but Brito picked up a strikeout and grounder with the tying run at third to keep the lead.
 
NOTES
  • Rutgers has now won the last six against Wagner and leads the series, 25-4-2, since 1960.
  • Welsh extended his on-base streak to 20 games.
  • Rutgers has drawn five or more walks in a game 12 times this season.
  • Wagner stranded nine runners on base and Rutgers left seven on.
  • Junior Steven Acosta earned his second win in as many appearances. He has pitched in four-straight games.
  • The last time Rutgers won a game that saw both team reach double-digits runs was also versus Wagner, a 12-10 victory on May 2, 2017 at Bainton Field.
  • The game-time temperature was 65 degrees.
 
UP NEXT
Rutgers heads to Iowa for a three-game series starting Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The Sunday contest will broadcast on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights have won both Big Ten series over the Hawkeyes.


 
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