NEWARK, N.J. (April 29, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark baseball team earned a monster 7-5 come-from-behind win over 13th-ranked The College of New Jersey Friday evening at Riverfront Stadium to keep its New Jersey Athletic Conference playoff hopes alive.
 
With the win, Rutgers-Newark improves to 15-22 overall and 7-9 in the NJAC. R-N is now in a three-way tie with Rutgers University-Camden and William Paterson University for the sixth and final playoff spot with two games remaining in the league season for each team. TCNJ falls to 26-8 overall and 10-6 in the NJAC.
 
NJAC Standings
 
The hosts took an early lead, but the Lions responded with five unanswered runs for a 5-2 edge heading to the bottom of the seventh inning. In that half inning, the Scarlet Raiders scored five times to take the lead for good.
 
After senior starter Ryan MacFarlane worked out of a jam in the top of the first, Rutgers-Newark converted a hit batter and two walks into two runs in the bottom half. Sophomore catcher Justin Marks brought in senior right fielder Billy Taylor with a groundout, and senior shortstop Gerry Patriziocrossed on a passed ball.
 
Senior right fielder Patrick Roberts hit his sixth home run of the year to tie the game at two in the top of the third, and a two-run single from shortstop Zachary Shindler as part of a three-run fifth helped the guests to a  5-2 edge.
 
After a tough first inning, senior Eric Teesdale settled down for the Lions, sending down 12 of the next 13 Scarlet Raiders he faced.
 
The Scarlet Raiders came back in the seventh inning, scoring five times to take a 7-5 lead. Taylor and freshman second baseman Ryan Zucker walked to set the table, and they moved into scoring position on a groundout from Patrizio. Junior left fielder Josh Cote was next, hitting a fly ball to center that was dropped. Cote earned credit for the sacrifice fly, but the error allowed for the tying runs to be in scoring position. Taylor brought the Raiders within one (5-4) when he scored on a balk, and Marks doubled down the right field line to tie the score at five. Senior Cameron Dias singled in Marks to give the Scarlet Raiders the lead, and after a base knock from sophomore center fielder Anthony Perconte, a throwing error gave Newark a 7-5 margin heading to the eighth inning.
 
MacFarlane gave way to junior Vincent Enea in the eighth, and Enea worked a scoreless frame to keep the Raiders on top by two, and senior Chris Nichols came on in the ninth for his second save of the season.
 
MacFarlane earned the win to improve to 4-2 on the season. He allowed five runs on 10 hits and struck out five, battling hard throughout to keep his team in the game in what was the final start of his career. Nichols and Enea each allowed a hit, with Nichols tallying two strikeouts.
 
Rutgers-Newark finished with eight hits in the game. Dias went 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI, and sophomore Ross Halkias went 2-for-4. Marks picked up a hit, two RBI and a run, Taylor scored twice and Zucker was 1-for-2 with a run and a walk.
 
Roberts went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI and center fielder John Rizzi went 3-for-5 with a run scored to lead the TCNJ offense. Teesdale suffered the loss on the mound, giving up seven runs (four earned) and six hits in 6.1 innings of work. He walked four and struck out five.
 
Rutgers-Newark will close its regular season with two games at Stockton University Saturday beginning at 11:30 a.m. Visit www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com Saturday for links to live stats.
 
PS: Last year, Rutgers-Newark won two games in the NJAC. This season they have eclipsed that total by five with two NJAC games left, giving themselves a chance at the postseason.

PSS: Rutgers-Newark defeated the 13th-ranked Lions twice in the last two days. R-N won 4-0 behind a two-hit shutout from freshman Anthony Rosoline Thursday, before coming back for the victory Friday.