PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Starting 5-1 for the first time since 2005, Rutgers baseball heads to Pennsylvania to take on Saint Joseph's Tuesday in its first midweek action of the season. First pitch at Smithson Field is scheduled for 2 p.m., an hour earlier than originally planned. This starts a week of four road games at four different opponents.
The Scarlet Knights, one of four teams nationally with at least five road wins so far, lead the country in doubles (four per game), while pacing the Big Ten in the early going in scoring (9.3) on-base percentage (.451), batting average (.348), shutouts pitched (2) and double plays turned per game (1.0). RU won at least five games in February for the first time since 2001, seeking to become 6-1 for the first time since that season.
Live stats will be available via Sidearm Sports. The link can be found on the ScarletKnights.com baseball schedule.
- The Scarlet Knights went 2-1 in the Carolinas Coastline Classic, falling to Coastal Carolina before sweeping a doubleheader at UNCW.
- On Friday, Rutgers posted 10 runs on 15 hits, but the Chanticleers used a five-run fifth to take a 15-10 victory. Nick Cimillo hit the first RU homer of the season, a 451-foot blast to left-center. Evan Sleight matched his career high with three hits in knocking in three runs.
- Rain in the forecast adjusted the weekend schedule and the Scarlet Knights played two at UNCW. The 12-5 victory saw the offense post double-digit runs in four consecutive games for the first time since 2010. The 18-hit attack was led by a career-high four hits from Ryan Lasko, while Danny DiGeorgio went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, three runs, two stolen bases and a walk. Jared Kollar earned his first win as a Scarlet Knight on the mound after allowing just two runs over five innings.
- The nightcap in Wilmington was a pitcher's duel, as Nathan Florence fanned nine with only two hits allowed in five shutout innings. Ben Gorski, Garrett French and Dale Stanavich combined to allow just one baserunner to preserve the 2-0 shutout. The pitchers totaled 15 strikeouts in the game, the most for the program since April 16, 2011, versus Cincinnati. Tony Santa Maria provided the big hit at the plate with a solo homer to dead center.
- Rutgers is 15th nationally in batting average (.348) and 17th in on-base percentage (.451). The Scarlet Knights have five games with at least 11 hits and four games scoring 10 or more runs with a high of 18.
- Santa Maria has connected for five doubles, while Chris Brito has four and the Scarlet Knights 24 overall.
- Richie Schiekofer, Sleight and Lasko have reached base safely in all six games. Schiekofer, who is 13-for-25, owns a 23-game on-base streak dating back to last season.
- Cimillo paces the team with a 1.487 OPS (.833 slugging, .654 on-base).
- The Scarlet Knights have recorded 20 two-out RBIs through six games.
- The Scarlet Knights have pitched two shutouts within the first six games for the first time since 1968.
- Dale Stanavich, a member of the NCBWA Stopper of the Year watch list, has recorded nine outs against the first eight batters faced, including a four-strikeout save last time out.
- Wyatt Parliament is set to make his first collegiate start. An early enrollee who signed with the Scarlet Knights in the fall, the right-hander dealt two scoreless frames in his debut at Houston Baptist.
- Kyle Muller leads the staff with 48 games of experience.
- Rutgers has totaled 58 strikeouts compared to 20 walks.
The Scarlet Knights and Hawks met 46 teams as Atlantic 10 foes from 1983-1995, with RU winning 36 times. The overall series is a 38-10 Rutgers advantage, with the last meetings taking place in 2016. Howie Brey won the Friday game at Bainton Field with seven strikeouts over six shutout innings in the 11-1 win. Then Sunday at Smithson Field, R.J. Devish posted three hits, Kyle Driscoll pitched five innings holding the Hawks to two runs and Max Herrmann recorded a six-out save to seal the 6-4 victory.
Rutgers continues on the road with a trip to Virginia to face William & Mary (Friday, FloSports), Richmond (Saturday, ESPN+) and VCU (Sunday, ESPN+).
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