UNION, N.J. (April 16, 2016) – Senior Ryan MacFarlane went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored and pitched six strong innings to lead the Rutgers University-Newark baseball team to a split with Kean University Saturday afternoon in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader.
After dropping the opener, 9-7, Rutgers-Newark came back to win the nightcap by a 10-3 final.
The Scarlet Raiders move to 12-19 overall and 4-6 in the conference, and Kean is now 18-12 overall and 7-3 in the NJAC.
Rutgers-Newark returns to the diamond Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts William Paterson University at Riverfront Stadium in an NJAC showdown.
Kean 9, Rutgers-Newark 7 – Game 1
The Scarlet Raiders took the upper hand in the opener, leading 6-2 after the top half of the third inning, but Kean rallied to take the lead for good with four runs in the fourth inning.
It was the Cougars that plated a pair of runs in the opener, but Rutgers-Newark answered with three on its next turn at the plate. Sophomore catcher Justin Marks walked and moved to second on a passed ball, and a single from sophomore Anthony Perconte put runners at the corners. Marks scored on a wild pitch, and senior Cameron Dias drove in Perconte with a double to left field, tying the game, and sophomore Brian Boulineau plated Dias with a double of his own to give the Scarlet Raiders the lead.
Three more for Newark in the third made it 6-3 as Perconte was hit by a pitch and Dias was walked to put two on with one out. Boulineau then walked to load the bases before a single from Ryan Zucker brought home Perconte, and an error allowed Dias and Boulineau to score on the play.
Kean was able to get one back in its half of the third, and the Cougars went up for good with four runs on six hits in the fourth.
Two insurance runs for the hosts in the sixth inning upped the lead to 9-6, and a wild pitch allowed Dias to cross after he singled to start the eighth inning, providing the final margin of 9-7.
Freshman Ian Fitzgerald earned the win for Kean, tossing eight innings of relief. He allowed four runs (two earned) and struck out nine.
Sophomore Mike Zibrin suffered the loss, giving up seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits. Vincent Enea (1.1) and Greg Sampson (2.2) came on in relief, allowing two runs on four hits combined.
Rutgers-Newark had eight hits in the opener. Dias went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Zucker was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Boulineau finished 1-for-2 with two walks, an RBI and a run.
Rutgers-Newark 10, Kean 3 – Game 2
MacFarlane did it all in the nightcap to help the Scarlet Raiders split and get their fourth win of the conference season – doubling their total from 2015 with eight more league games left.
MacFarlane improved to 3-2 with six solid innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits. He struck out three and induced 12 ground balls, nearly matching his hits allowed (five) with his own hits (four).
The Rutgers-Newark offense as a group had an excellent game, recording 16 hits in the contest. Sophomore Ross Halkias homered and doubled in a 2-for-5 with four RBI performance as a total of five different Scarlet Raiders had multiple hits – MacFarlane (4-for-5, 2R, 2RBI), Halkias (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 4RBI, R), senior Billy Taylor (2-for-6, 2R), Perconte (2-for-5, 2RBI, R) and Dias (2-for-5, 2R).
Rutgers-Newark scored a run in the first when MacFarlane singled in Taylor, but Kean tallied two in the bottom half to take the lead.
That lead would be short-lived as a three-spot for the Raiders in the second gave them the lead for good. Halkias hit a two-run homer, Boulineau drove in Taylor with a single and a MacFarlane single brought home Boulineau.
After allowing a single Cougar run in the second, MacFarlane and two relievers did not allow another. Sophomore Anthony Hernandez tossed two scoreless innings, and senior Chris Nichols went one, allowing just three hits combined.
Senior Gerry Patrizio helped the Scarlet Raiders to a 6-3 edge with a single in the third to drive in Dias, with a Perconte double plating MacFarlane in the fourth. Perconte came up with another run-scoring base hit in the sixth, and Halkias followed with a two-run double later in the inning for the final margin.
It marked the sixth time this season Rutgers-Newark has scored in double figures. The Scarlet Raiders are 5-1 in those games.
Rutgers-Newark Top Scoring Games – 2016
16 runs – March 31 – Lehman (W 16-3)
15 – NJCU – April 11 (W 15-8)
11 – PSU-Abington – March (W 11-1)
10 – Chapman – March 13 (W 10-7)
10 – Kean – April 16 (W 10-3)
10 – Christopher Newport – February 20 (L 10-18)