Box score
PISCATAWAY, NJ—Rutgers broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and then pulled away for a 10-1 win over visiting NJIT in a game that was shortened to seven innings due to darkness Wednesday afternoon at Bainton Field.
Rutgers, playing its home opener, collected 12 hits, including a two-run home run from junior Brandon Boykin and starting pitcher senior Kyle Bradley struck out five in five innings on the mound for the Scarlet Knights.
Down a run after two innings, the Highlanders pulled back even in the third when they got their only two hits of the day. Freshman CF Matt Petrone led off with a single and his classmate, LF Teddy Bickert followed with a single down the right field line that moved Petrone to third. An ensuing double play grounder brought home Petrone with the tying run.
However, that was the extent of NJIT's offense the rest of the way and Rutgers took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. Boykin's homer highlighted a three-run fourth inning and the Scarlet Knights tacked on three more in the sixth inning and a final run in the seventh before the game was called.
Freshman Austin McAuliffe started and took the loss for NJIT, evening his record to 1-1. Of the three NJIT relievers, the first, freshman DJ Roche was most effective, striking out three of the five batters he faced and allowing one hit without a run.
Petrone and Bickert, who had the biggest hands in plating NJIT's run, each finished 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks apiece. The Highlanders, who managed just the two hits, did, however, get baserunners, drawing eight walks.
Having faced Rutgers of the Big East Conference, NJIT will now face New Jersey's other Big East rep, Seton Hall. The Highlanders will play single games against host Seton Hall on Friday (noon) and Sunday (1:30 pm) in Seton Hall's Strike Out Cancer tournament. The Highlanders will also face Lafayette on Saturday at 10 am. All games will be played at Owen T. Carroll Field on the Seton Hall campus in South Orange.
