CAMDEN, NJ – Second baseman Alex Kokos recorded a RBI double in the top of the 12th inning to give the Rowan University baseball team a 2-1 victory at Rutgers-Camden in a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game on Thursday.
The Profs improve to 20-9 overall and 4-3 in the conference. The Scarlet Raptors drop to 10-14 with a 1-6 NJAC mark.
It was a pitcher's duel throughout the afternoon between right-handers Eric Shugars (so. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) and Ian Scheidemann (so. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.). Both teams had one run and seven hits through nine frames. Outfielder Jason Clapper (sr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) led off the 12th with a double down the left field line. He advanced to third on a wild pitch. Kokos (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) sent a 3-1 pitch over the left fielder's head for a double and Clapper came home for the go-ahead run.
Righty Brad Machinski (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) was credited with the win. He (4-1) tossed the final four innings and allowed just one hit. Right-handed pitcher Carter Fichter (jr. Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Mem.) was charged with the loss (2-2). Shugars threw 7.1 innings and surrendered one run on five hits with four strikeouts. Scheidemann went seven frames and gave up one run and seven hits.
Left fielder Shawn Leydon (jr. Roxbury, NJ/Roxbury), Kokos and Clapper each had two hits. Leydon tallied a home run. Third baseman Matt Jolly (sr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape), catcher Steven Hewa (so. Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and shortstop Matt Edwards (so. Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) produced one hit apiece.
Left fielder Doug Carter Jr. (sr. Union, NJ/Union) and right fielder Zach Ellin (sr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) registered two hits apiece for Rutgers-Camden. Third baseman Matthew Stoots (fr. Browns Mills, NJ/Pemberton Twp.), designated hitter Matt Yanick (fr. Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra), center fielder Brett Kuchera (jr. Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) and first baseman Frank Cerami IV (sr. Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) each contributed with one hit. Kuchera scored the Scarlet Raptors' lone run.
Leydon opened the scoring when he began the fourth with a solo blast off the scoreboard in right field. Kuchera hit a leadoff single in the fifth and came around to score on a wild pitch.
Rowan and Rutgers-Camden square off again in Glassboro on Friday, April 14 at 3:30 p.m.