MONTCLAIR, N.J. (April 23, 2015) – Rutgers University-Camden senior pitcher Jeff Singer (Cinnaminson, NJ/Holy Cross) entered his latest New Jersey Athletic Conference start looking to keep the Scarlet Raptors in contention for the regular-season conference baseball title.
Not only did he help that cause, but Singer also finished the game with a piece of Rutgers-Camden history.
Singer tossed the seventh no-hitter in program history here Thursday as he blanked Montclair State University, 7-0.
The senior southpaw walked four and struck out 10 while tossing the Scarlet Raptors' first no-hitter since Zach Pendleton blanked Western Connecticut State University, 2-0, on March 23, 2002. The victory raised Singer's record to 4-2 and lowered his ERA to 2.15.
The win also helped Rutgers-Camden take over sole possession of first place in the NJAC regular-season standings, with three games remaining. The Raptors, who had entered the day in a tie for first with Rowan University, improve to 12-3 in the conference and 18-13 overall. They are one game ahead of both Kean and Rowan after the Cougars edged the Profs, 1-0, Thursday.
Montclair State falls to 15-15 overall and 8-7 in the NJAC.
Singer retired the first six batters he faced before the Red Hawks drew a leadoff walk in the third inning. A walk, an error and a passed ball followed in that inning before Singer worked out of a jam with a pair of runners in scoring position. He allowed only two walks the rest of the way, in the sixth and eighth innings, and both of those runners were erased on double plays.
Rutgers-Camden, meanwhile, scored the only run Singer needed in the first inning after leadoff batter Brett Tenuto (Audubon, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) reached on a three-base outfield error. One out later, sophomore left fielder Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) grounded out to second base, plating Tenuto.
Brooks picked up another RBI on a ground out in the third inning, following singles by Tenuto and sophomore catcher Jon Theckston (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). They advanced on a wild pitch to set up Brooks' RBI grounder.
The Scarlet Raptors broke open the game with a four-run fifth inning, sparked by a two-out double by Theckston. Brooks singled him home, stole second and advanced on a throwing error by the catcher. Senior center fielder Bobby Romano (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) reached on an infield error that plated Brooks. He stole second and scored on a double to right field by senior first baseman Connor Hall (Delran, NJ/Delran). Sophomore shortstop Pedro Perez (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) followed with another RBI double.
The Scarlet Raptors' final run came in the ninth inning when Brooks tripled and scored on a single by Romano. That left the only drama in the left hand of Singer, and he nailed down his no-hitter by striking out the side in the bottom of the ninth.
Theckston, Brooks and Romano each collected two of the Scarlet Raptors' nine hits.
The two teams resume their home-and-home NJAC series Friday in a 3:30 p.m. game at Rutgers-Camden.