MERION STATION, Pa – Rutgers baseball used an 11-run third inning to propel itself to a 15-9 victory at St. Joe's on Tuesday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights (6-1) overcame a 5-0 deficit and scored 14 unanswered to take down the Hawks (2-3) in Merion Station.

Justin Sweeney made the start on the mound for RU in his first career action and picked up a strikeout in a scoreless first inning. SJU was able to load the bases in the second and jumped out to a 5-0 lead on an RBI double and four unearned runs after a two-out error. 

The Rutgers offense was unfazed and immediately posted an 11-spot in the top of the third to seize control of the game. 

All 11 runs scored with two outs and the rally began with RJ Johnson Jr. on first base with two outs. The Scarlet Knights loaded the bases and an error, hit-by-pitch of Johnny Volpe and walk from Hugh Pinkney made it 5-3. Jordan Sweeney followed with a towering popup that found the grass and scored a pair to tie the game at 5-5. 

Cameron Love gave Rutgers the lead with an RBI double down the third base line. Johnson Jr. followed with an RBI single and Tony Santa Maria provided the exclamation point with a booming two-run home run to make it 11-5.

Love added on in the fourth with an RBI triple and Santa Maria stayed hot in the fifth with another two-run home run in the fifth to extend the lead to 14-5. Tuesday was already Santa Maria's second game of the season with multiple home runs after doing the same on opening day at Winthrop. 

Meanwhile on the mound, Sam Portnoy set down six St. Joe's batters in a row for scoreless third and fourth innings. 

In the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks clawed back with a two-run home run and a solo homer to bring the scoreline to 14-8. While letting up a trio of runs, Donovan Zsak was able to get a pair of strikeouts to end the frame. 

The RU bullpen strung together three more scoreless innings thanks to Gavin Stellpflug (sixth), Jake Marshall (seventh) and Joe Mazza (eighth). 

Despite a leadoff home run in the ninth, Joey DeChiaro was able to buckle down and finish off the 15-9 victory. 

Sonny Fauci struck out a pair in the second and earned the victory to improve to 3-0 on the season. 

Rutgers is back on the road this weekend for a three-game set at Charleston Southern, with game one set for 5 p.m. on Friday evening. 

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