NEWARK, N.J. (March 29, 2016) – Drew University earned a 9-8 comeback win over Rutgers University-Newark in a non-conference baseball game at Riverfront Stadium on a windy Tuesday afternoon in Newark.
The Scarlet Raiders fall to 7-11 on the season, while Drew improves to 10-10. Eight of the Scarlet Raiders' 11 losses have come by three runs or fewer this season, and they will look to get back into the win column Thursday afternoon (3:30 p.m.) at Riverfront Stadium against Lehman College.
Sophomore catcher Ross Halkias led the Scarlet Raiders at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI, while sophomore right fielder Anthony Perconte had a big game as well, finishing 5-for-6 with two runs scored and an RBI. R-N totaled 14 hits in the contest, working four walks as well.
The Rangers were led by center fielder Ryan Sabbag who homered and had three RBI, and catcher Dan Pfefferkorn who went 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored.
Freshman Josh Williams picked up the win on the mound for Drew, tossing four scoreless innings of relief, striking out seven and allowing just two hits and two walks.
The Scarlet Raiders scored early and often after the Rangers took an early 2-0 lead. Newark pushed across three runs in the first and second, plating single markers in the third and fifth.
Halkias doubled with two outs to bring home Perconte and senior center fielder Ryan MacFarlane for the first Scarlet Raider runs of the game, and a ground-rule double from freshman shortstop Casey Hanley allowed Halkias to score.
Rutgers-Newark pushed its lead to four at 6-2 with three more runs on three hits in the second. Sophomore designated hitter Brian Boulineau doubled to start the inning, freshman second baseman Ryan Zucker was hit by a pitch and Perconte laid down a beautiful bunt single to load the bases with nobody out. Boulineau scored on a wild pitch, with Perconte and Zucker crossing on a two-run single off the bat of Halkias.
A two-run homer from Sabbag trimmed the Scarlet Raider lead to two (6-4), but Newark got one back when Perconte brought in Boulineau with an RBI single to right field in the third.
The guests would score one in the fourth to get back within two, but Newark got that back in the next inning when a single from sophomore left fielder Danny Iannaccone allowed Zucker to score.
The Rangers loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh, eventually tying the game at eight, and a pinch hit single from junior Kevin Skettini scored the game-winner with one out in the eighth inning.
The Scarlet Raiders were able to get the tying run on base with a walk in the eighth and a two-out single in the ninth but could not score and fell by the 9-8 final.
Boulineau went 2-for-5 with two runs, and Zucker was 1-for-4 with two runs as well. Iannaccone went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a walk.