CAMDEN, N.J. (March 26, 2016) – The way Rutgers University-Camden senior ace Billy Jackson (Estell Manor, NJ/Buena Regional) is pitching these days, a one- or two-run margin is usually a mountain for the opponents to climb.
The way the Scarlet Raptors' offense is hitting, however, makes the challenge even more daunting.
Jackson hurled two-hit shutout ball over eight innings and the Scarlet Raptors exploded for 17 hits, including six in a seven-run eighth inning, as they shut down a strong Johns Hopkins University team, 13-0, here Saturday.
Rutgers-Camden, ranked No. 10 in the ABCA Division III Coaches' Poll and No. 15 in the D3baseball.com Top 25, improves to 10-2 with its fifth straight win.
Johns Hopkins, which received two votes in last week's D3baseball.com poll, falls to 10-7-1.
The Blue Jays had been on a serious roll entering the game, winning nine of their previous 10 contests while averaging 9.4 runs per game in that span. Jackson, however, shut the door by allowing only two doubles – a leadoff one to junior shortstop Conor Reynolds (Baltimore, MD/Loyola) to open the game and a two-out double in the seventh by junior centerfielder Tommy Mee (Ellicott City, MD/Wilde Lake). Jackson struck out nine and walked one – his only walk in 28 innings of work this season – as he raised his record to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.96.
Senior Kyle Gaff (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester City) closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning, getting the last out on strikes.
The Scarlet Raptors scored the only run Jackson needed in the second inning following a leadoff double by junior designated hitter Andujar Cedeno (Bronx, NY/Escuela Nueva Esperanza, DR). He was sacrificed to third by senior first baseman Joe Sigismondi (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), who set a new program record with his 19th career sacrifice. He had been tied for the record at 18 with Barry Huver (2001-04). Cedeno scored on a ground out by junior centerfielder Cory Kreamer (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge).
The Raptors added two more runs in the third inning against Hopkins senior starter Trevor Williams (Imperial, PA/West Allegheny), who worked the first six innings, allowing nine hits, three runs (two earned) and one walk. He struck out three as his record fell to 3-2.
A pair of hits, a walk, an error and a sacrifice fly by freshman shortstop Chris Jones (Sewell, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) contributed to the two-run inning.
Rutgers-Camden broke the game open once Williams left the contest, plating 10 runs over two innings in the seventh and eighth against four Blue Jay pitchers. A three-run seventh featured a walk, an error, a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Brett Tenuto (Audubon, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and two hits, including an RBI single by Cedeno.
The Scarlet Raptors exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning, aided by a pair of fly ball doubles that were lost in the brutal sun field in right. Sigismondi and Kreamer sparked the inning by reaching as a hit batsman and on a walk, respectively. Freshman third baseman Ray Taylor (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood) got the avalanche of runs started with a run-scoring single up the middle. The inning included an RBI double by junior rightfielder Zach Ellin (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) and a two-run pinch-hit double by junior Andrew Biggs (Millville, NJ/Millville) that were both lost in the right field sun, a run-scoring pinch-hit single by freshman Jake Thorndike (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) and a pair of run-scoring wild pitches.
Junior leftfielder Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), playing in his 100th career game at Rutgers-Camden, led the hit parade with a 3-for-4 day and two runs scored. Brooks raised his career hit total to an amazing 151 hits in his 100 games, hiking his career average to an astounding .401. His 151 hits tied Nate Buchter (2004-07) for sixth on the program's career list, five behind fifth-place Jon Hydock (2009-12).
Tenuto went 2-for-3 with one RBI for the Scarlet Raptors. Cedeno and Taylor both went 2-for-4 with a run and one RBI, while Jones went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and one run. Ellin scored three times in his 1-for-3 game, adding one RBI.
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Monday when it entertains Stevens Institute of Technology at 3:30 p.m. The Ducks received as many as 12 votes early in the season toward the D3baseball.com Top 25, making them the ninth opponent the Scarlet Raptors will have faced that has been ranked or received votes toward the national rankings. Rutgers-Camden is 6-2 in the previous eight games.
Johns Hopkins hosts Lancaster Bible College Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.