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Week 4: Baseball at Purdue

Scarlet Knights have hit 20 homers, most in a season since 2017

Rutgers (6-5) at Purdue (2-9) – West Lafayette, Ind.
Game 12 March 26 - 4 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup Rutgers - LHP Harry Rutkowski (1-1, 3.71)
Purdue - RHP Trent Johnson (0-1, 5.06)
Coverage Big Ten Network+ | Audio | Live Stats
Game 13 March 27 - 2 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup Rutgers - LHP Ben Wereski (3-0, 2.00)
Purdue - LHP Calvin Schapira (0-2, 4.63)
Coverage Big Ten Network+ | Audio | Live Stats
Game 14 March 28 - 1 p.m. ET
Probable Pitching Matchup Rutgers - RHP Brent Teller (0-2, 6.39)
Purdue - RHP Jett Jackson (0-2, 7.45)
Coverage Big Ten Network+ | Audio | Live Stats
Rutgers Links Notes | Schedule | Fact Book | Statistics | App


PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Following a series win over Ohio State at Bainton Field, Rutgers baseball returns to the road to face Purdue in a three-game set beginning Friday. The Scarlet Knights' starting rotation combined to permit just three earned run over 17.2 innings last time through, while the offense leads the Big Ten with 20 homers in 2021.
 
"I'm happy with how we've been able to compete so far," head coach Steve Owens said. "Baseball is a game of adjustments, change and developing. You can't always win one way; you have to be able to win in a lot of different ways. We want to continue to improve upon everything. You never know if you'll need to hit homers, pitch a shutout or maybe make a diving play in the outfield to win a game."
 
COVERAGE
Big Ten Network+ is set to broadcast each of the three contests. A Big Ten Network+ subscription gives access to live streaming produced by the Big Ten Network in partnership with the member schools of the Big Ten Conference. A television provider is not needed to subscribe.
 
A free radio broadcast for each game this weekend will be available through ScarletKnights.com and the Scarlet Knights App.
 
SCOUTING RUTGERS
The Scarlet Knights took the first two in the three-game set at Bainton Field to clinch their first series victory over Ohio State. The Saturday opener saw Harry Rutkowski fan 11 with no earned runs permitted in six innings, with the lead changing sides several times in the late innings. Down 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Victor Valderrama delivered an RBI single up the middle to force extra innings. Kyle Muller posted a scoreless 10th and 11th before Cameron Love picked up a leadoff double, his first collegiate hit, and advanced on a passed ball in the last of the 11th. Valderrama then lifted a game-winning sacrifice fly for the 6-5 win.
 
Ben Wereski retired 20 of the first 24 batters faced in 7.1 shutout innings on Sunday. Chris Brito homered for the fourth-straight game in the first inning to become the first Scarlet Knight since Jeff Frazier in 2002 to achieve the feat. Brito's two-run shot proved to be enough, as Dale Stanavich recorded the final five outs with five stranded in the 2-0 shutout. The Buckeyes took the Monday finale, 4-1, despite Brent Teller not allowing a run until the sixth. RU left the bases loaded in the eighth.
 
Rutgers hit three homers in the series to up its season total to 20, most in the Big Ten and third in the country at 1.82 per game. The 20 long balls are the most for the team in a season since hitting 37 in 53 games in 2017. In addition, the mark establishes a new program-best within a Big Ten season, topping the 12 struck in 24 games in 2015. The offense is also atop the Big Ten leaderboard with 14 stolen bases, while the pitching staff is first in the league with only 3.22 walks allowed per nine innings.
 
Hitting: Brito crushed two homers in the last series to raise his season total to eight, most in the Big Ten and only three off the national lead. The number matches Jawuan Harris' total from 2017, as the last Scarlet Knight to reach double figures in a season was Patrick Kivlehan (14) in 2012. Brito, who has been on base in all 11 games, also paces the lineup with a .976 slugging percentage, a .460 on-base percentage, 15 hits, 12 runs scored, 18 RBIs and 41 total bases. Josh Rodriguez (10) and Jordan Sweeney (10) are next in hits, while Danny DiGeorgio has stolen five bases.
 
Pitching: The Scarlet Knights will stick with the same first three starting pitchers as the prior three weekends in Rutkowski, Wereski and Teller.
 
Rutkowski's 11 strikeouts last time moved him from 11th to sixth in the RU record book, ranking third in the conference with 13.24 strikeouts per nine innings this season. The left-hander is set to make his 21st start to begin a weekend on Friday. Wereski earned the win in each of his first three starts. The left-hander lowered his WHIP to 0.72 to take over the Big Ten lead, holding opposing hitters to a .159 average against. Teller is up to 193 career strikeouts, 29th-most among active Division I pitchers.
 
The bullpen has four different pitchers with at least one save, with Brian Fitzpatrick owning two. Muller has not permitted a walk or run and just four hits in 6.2 relief innings so far.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Rutgers' first Big Ten series came at Purdue in 2015. The all-time series is split 7-7 and 6-6 in the Big Ten, with the Scarlet Knights winning three of the four series. The Boilermakers won all three games in the last set played at Alexander Field in 2018. In 2019, Rutkowski posted a career-high 12 strikeouts over eight shutout innings in a 2-0 Friday win.
 
UP NEXT
Rutgers hosts Penn State in a three-game series at Bainton Field beginning Friday, April 2.
 
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 Scarlet Knights App via the app store or play store.
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Players Mentioned

Chris Brito

#28 Chris Brito

INF
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Criminal Justice
Danny DiGeorgio

#5 Danny DiGeorgio

INF
6' 5"
Fifth Year
Civil Engineering
Brian Fitzpatrick

#45 Brian Fitzpatrick

LHP
6' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
Environmental and Business Economics
Kyle Muller

#13 Kyle Muller

RHP
6' 3"
Graduate Student
Global Sports Business
Josh Rodriguez

#23 Josh Rodriguez

OF
6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared
Harry Rutkowski

#41 Harry Rutkowski

LHP
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
Jordan Sweeney

#32 Jordan Sweeney

1B
6' 5"
Redshirt Freshman
Sport Management
Victor Valderrama

#17 Victor Valderrama

OF
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management
Cameron Love

#47 Cameron Love

INF
6' 0"
Freshman
Undeclared
Dale Stanavich

#18 Dale Stanavich

LHP
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Labor Studies and Employment Relations

Players Mentioned

Chris Brito

#28 Chris Brito

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Criminal Justice
INF
Danny DiGeorgio

#5 Danny DiGeorgio

6' 5"
Fifth Year
Civil Engineering
INF
Brian Fitzpatrick

#45 Brian Fitzpatrick

6' 7"
Redshirt Freshman
Environmental and Business Economics
LHP
Kyle Muller

#13 Kyle Muller

6' 3"
Graduate Student
Global Sports Business
RHP
Josh Rodriguez

#23 Josh Rodriguez

6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Undeclared
OF
Harry Rutkowski

#41 Harry Rutkowski

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Criminal Justice
LHP
Jordan Sweeney

#32 Jordan Sweeney

6' 5"
Redshirt Freshman
Sport Management
1B
Victor Valderrama

#17 Victor Valderrama

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management
OF
Cameron Love

#47 Cameron Love

6' 0"
Freshman
Undeclared
INF
Dale Stanavich

#18 Dale Stanavich

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Labor Studies and Employment Relations
LHP
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