PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Starting a season-high six-game homestand, Rutgers baseball meets Michigan State for a three-game series at Bainton Field beginning Friday. The Scarlet Knights have at least one win over each Big Ten team this year with the exception of the two opponents (Michigan State, Illinois) not yet faced.
 
RU is seeking its first winning record in a season since 2014, for the first time in Big Ten play and is looking to finish with its best placement in the Big Ten standings. The previous best winning percentage in a Big Ten season was .391 (9-14) in 2019 to take 10^th place. The current team sits in eighth place with two weekends remaining, having won five series of at least three games, lost three and split one.
 
The attendance policy remains the same as the home pod held two weeks ago. A pass list will be maintained for player guests, while a limited number of spots will be made available for the general public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Spectators will be required to show proof of a completed contact tracing form upon entry each day. Click here for more information.
 

COVERAGE

Big Ten Network+ and WRSU 88.7-FM will cover each of the three games this weekend. Live stats from Sidearm Sports are available as well to follow.
 
Big Ten Network+ (Friday): Dominick Savino & Joe Godri
WRSU 88.7-FM (Friday): Ronnie Wielenta & Mike Nichols
Big Ten Network+ (Saturday): Dominick Savino & Joe Godri
WRSU 88.7-FM (Saturday): Connor Strohm & Doug Willig
Big Ten Network+ (Sunday): Dominick Savino & Pat Boyle
WRSU 88.7-FM (Sunday): Gideon Fox & Jake Schmied
 

SCOUTING RUTGERS

The Scarlet Knights played 10 of their last 14 games on the road, finishing the Big Ten season with a 13-9 road record. The 13 away wins lead the Big Ten, as the program went 11-47 on the road in the previous five Big Ten seasons combined. It also marked the first winning road record for the team since 2007 and the most victories on the road since 2012.  
 
Most recently, the Scarlet Knights dropped 3-of-4 at Penn State, earning a 5-0 win on Sunday for the third shutout of the season. Justin Sinibaldi pitched 6.1 scoreless innings after retiring 13 of the first 14 batters faced to earn his first collegiate win. Chris Brito drove in three, hitting 7-for-14 with two walks and seven RBIs in the series.
 
Hitting: Mike Nyisztor is second in the Big Ten in batting average at .359, with Illinois' Joe Janas in first at .392. The last Scarlet Knight to win a league batting title was Vinny Zarrillo, who hit .407 in the Big East in 2013. Nyisztor is fourth in the league with a .464 on-base percentage, collecting a team-high 13 multiple-hit games with two or more hits in seven of the last 10 contests. In addition, Nyisztor is the toughest hitter in the conference to strike out at once per 9.8 plate appearances.
 
Brito is third in the Big Ten with 38 RBIs, an average of one per game. That feat was last done by an RU player for a season by Pat Biserta in 2010. Brito, who is the only one to start all 38 games so far, is 11-for-24 over the past six games and has been on base safely in each of the last 11 games. Danny DiGeorgio enters the weekend on an eight-game hitting streak, while Richie Schiekofer also has an 11-game on-base streak.
 
RU has blasted 43 homers, the most since 2010 and tied for 10^th-most in a season in program history. Ryan Lasko paces the lineup with 10 long balls, leading Big Ten freshmen and fourth overall. He is the first Scarlet Knight to reach double figures since Patrick Kivlehan (14) in 2012 and first freshman with 10 since Jaren Matthews in 2008.
 
Pitching: Harry Rutkowski is set to make his 29^th start to open a weekend. The left-hander enters the series ranked third in program history with 210 career strikeouts, fourth with 42 starts and 10th with 238.1 innings pitched. He has six quality starts and five outings of at least seven innings in 2021 to rank second in the Big Ten at 69.2 innings. Rutkowski is 2-0 in two appearances against Michigan State, allowing only one earned run in seven innings in East Lansing (2018) and striking out six with just two earned runs allowed in six frames at Bainton Field (2019).
 
Ben Wereski leads the Big Ten with a 0.93 WHIP, only 1.37 walks allowed per nine innings and a 5:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, ranking sixth with a 3.02 ERA. The left-hander has seven quality starts, five with one earned run or less against and five without allowing a walk.
 
The bullpen has six different pitchers who have combined for 11 saves, tied for eighth-most in a season in program history. Kyle Muller made a spot start on Monday at Penn State and went four hitless innings, a career high, to bring his WHIP down to 0.92 and batting average against to .167. Dale Stanavich paces the relief corps with 24 strikeouts in 19.2 innings.
 
Overall, the pitching staff ranks first in the league with only 3.41 walks allowed per nine innings, while sitting third in the Big Ten with a 1.33 WHIP and fourth with a 4.49 ERA.
 

SERIES HISTORY

Rutgers earned a three-game sweep over Michigan State in the last series between the teams held at Bainton Field in April 2019. It was the first Big Ten sweep for RU since joining the conference. The Sunday finale was a one-hit shutout won by Tevin Murray, who struck out nine in six innings.
 
The Spartans won the first six Big Ten matchups, but the Scarlet Knights have won five of the last six since. MSU leads the all-time series, 12-7, dating back to 1966.
 

UP NEXT

The Scarlet Knights host Illinois in a three-game series at Bainton Field beginning May 28. RU has not played a home game that late on the calendar since 1959.
 
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.