PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball (19-27, 8-10) held a 3-0 lead through six innings, but Northwestern (22-23, 9-10) rallied for five runs with two outs in the seventh to claim a 5-3 victory in the series opener Friday at Bainton Field.
 
"We started well, but never expanded our three-run lead," head coach Joe Litterio said. "We got into a jam in the seventh and couldn't get the last out. Credit to Northwestern for taking advantage of that opportunity. We need to put this game behind us and come out ready to go tomorrow."
 
Sophomore Harry Rutkowski logged six scoreless frames to start his outing and left with the lead. The left-hander struck out three. Junior Steven Acosta collected the final five outs to keep RU within striking distance.
 
Offensively, senior Tyler McNamara knocked home sophomore Mike Nyisztor with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third. The lead grew to 3-0 one inning later when freshman David Soto delivered a two-out, two-run triple that plated both junior Kevin Welsh and freshman Alex Russo. Nyisztor reached three times as the leadoff hitter, while freshman Victor Valderrama singled and doubled to extend his reached base streak to 23 games.
 
Northwestern's rally in the top of the seventh started with a leadoff single, but two fly balls followed. However, five hits and a walk with two down pushed across five runs. The Scarlet Knights did put the tying runs in scoring position in the eighth before Nick Paciorek recorded a strikeout to end the threat. Sam Lawrence worked a perfect ninth for his first save, as Ryan Bader picked up the win in a 6.1-inning start.
 
UP NEXT
The series will conclude Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. The Fred Hill Memorial Celebration will still take place at noon.

Denied! McNamara catches two runners stealing in the fifth.

B5 | Rutgers 3, Northwestern 0 pic.twitter.com/nZunBgvCC4

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 10, 2019

Triple! Soto brings in Welsh & Russo with two outs to expand the lead.

B4 | Rutgers 3, Northwestern 0 pic.twitter.com/F4ccPPUGC0

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 10, 2019

In the lead! McNamara laces a two-out RBI single to plate Nyisztor (single).

B3 | Rutgers 1, Northwestern 0 pic.twitter.com/AA8CGw822g

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 10, 2019

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