DAVENPORT, Fla. - Powered by four runs over the final two innings, Rutgers-Camden defeated UMass Dartmouth, 8-2 in action at the RussMatt Tournament on Thursday afternoon. The Scarlet Raptors move to 9-4 overall, while the Corsairs slip to 4-6 on the young season.
The visitors got onto the board first in the opening inning as junior first baseman Diego Salazar drove a two-run single into center field for the 2-0 advantage. Rutgers-Camden added to the advantage in the top of the second as sophomore left fielder Jacob Watson tripled to right to bring in another run.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next three innings, but it was the Scarlet Raptors that struck for the 4-0 lead in the sixth as senior second baseman Danny Vazquez single drove home Watson from third.
In the eighth, a single to center by senior right fielder Giacomo Antonicello brought another run across the plate and it was Antonicello in the ninth as he singled to bring home two more runs for the 8-0 advantage.
The Corsairs battled back in the bottom of the ninth as senior third baseman
Andrew Possi singles to right field. With one out on the board, junior first baseman
Jake SanAntonio reached on an error to move Possi to second. Senior designated hitter
Tre Coleman then ripped a triple to center, bringing both runs across to cut the deficit, but the Scarlet Raptors retired the side to end the threat for the win.
Rutgers-Camden saw Watson go 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI, while junior shortstop Jose Correa was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Antonicello was 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Salazar had two RBI.
On the mound, the Scarlet Raptors were paced by rookie Danny Torres, Jr., who went 6.0 innings. He allowed no runs on three hits with a walk and four strikeouts to his credit. Senior Joey Rappaport posted 2.0 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and four strikeouts, while senior Jacob Brennan pitched the ninth, allowing two runs (1 earned) on two hits with two K's.
The Corsairs saw Coleman go 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Possi and SanAntonio each had a run scored. Sophomore
Seamus Marshall shouldered the loss, going 5.0 innings with three runs allowed on nine hits. He recorded three strikeouts and surrendered no walks.
Rookie
Dylan Ameral pitched 1.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts, while sophomore
Carter Scovill pitched an inning with a strikeout. Senior
Chase Carey allowed four runs on three hits over 1.1 innings of work with three K's, as classmate
Will Pacheco came on for the final 0.2, allowing just one hit.
UMass Dartmouth returns to the field on Friday, taking on Milwaukee School of Engineering at 12:30pm in Davenport.
