NEWARK, N.J. (March 31, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark baseball team earned a 16-3 non-conference win over Lehman College Thursday afternoon at Riverfront Stadium. With the win, the Scarlet Raiders improve to 8-11 on the season and return to action at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, N.J. Saturday in their New Jersey Athletic Conference opener against Rowan University.
Lehman falls to 6-13 on the year.
Rutgers-Newark pounded out 13 hits in scoring 16 runs, and were led by senior center fielder Ryan MacFarlane who went 4-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored. Junior designated hitter Josh Cote was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI as six other Raiders tallied one hit in the contest.
After the Lightning went up 1-0 with an unearned run in the second, the Scarlet Raiders took control with five tallies in their half of the third on four hits. Sophomore third baseman Brian Boulineau and junior designated hitter Josh Cote started things with singles, and freshman Ryan Zucker loaded the bases with the a walk ahead of a one-out run-scoring infield single from senior shortstop Gerry Patrizio. Senior center fielder Ryan MacFarlane followed with a two RBI single to left to give the Scarlet Raiders the lead, and sophomore first baseman Ross Halkias delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Patrizio. MacFarlane, who stole second after his single, advanced on a wild throw home before scoring the fifth marker of the inning on a wild pitch.
Lehman pushed across one in the top of the fourth inning, with Newark scratching across two in the bottom half as the Scarlet Raiders used two walks, a Boulineau sacrifice bunt, a Zucker sacrifice fly, a balk and a wild pitch to their advantage.
Three more scores for R-N in the fifth made it 10-2 in favor of the hosts as Patrizio the inning with a walk and a double from MacFarlane put runners on second and third with nobody out. Halkias, Perconte (sac fly) and Cote (1B) all came through with RBI plate appearances to get the Scarlet Raiders into double figures for the first time since a 10-7 win at Chapman on March 13.
Rutgers-Newark pushed across two more runs in the sixth, getting run-scoring doubles from MacFarlane and sophomore catcher Justin Marks.
Freshman starter Anthony Rosoline went the first seven innings for the Scarlet Raiders, giving up three runs (two earned) on eight hits. The freshman standout improved to 5-0 on the season in six starts, stranding eight Lightning baserunners in the process.
MacFarlane and Halkias scored on a two-run single in the eighth off the bat of pinch hitter Nick Striglia, and Striglia crossed when freshman pinch hitter Nolan Rivera doubled off the wall in left. Cote drove in the final run of the day on a rope of a double to center.
Sophomore Greg Sampson and senior Chris Nichols each three a clean inning of relief for the Raiders.
Rutgers-Newark will be the home team down in Lakewood and first pitch in Saturday's doubleheader is set for 11:30 a.m.