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Box Score 2
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Opening Day at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational didn't go as planned for the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team.
In their first games during spring break, the Scarlet Raptors were swept in a doubleheader by Amherst (Mass.) College, losing the first game, 9-5, and dropping a 10-inning 7-6 decision in the nightcap.
Rutgers-Camden's record falls to 2-2, while Amherst improves to 3-0.
Amherst 9, Rutgers-Camden 5
The Jeffs wiped out a 2-0 deficit by scoring nine runs from the second through the fifth innings, including three-run frames in both the third and fifth. Although Rutgers-Camden out-hit Amherst, 11-10, the Scarlet Raptors left 13 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the third, fourth and seventh innings.
The Scarlet Raptors scored twice in the second on three hits, including a RBI double by freshman shortstop
Tim Holder (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and a run-scoring single by freshman catcher
Jon Theckston (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic).
Amherst got an unearned run back in the bottom of the second inning before scoring three in the third to take the lead for good. That inning featured RBI doubles by junior first baseman
Eric West (Winnetka, IL/New Trier), junior second baseman
Tyler Jacobs (Westport, CT/Staples) and senior centerfielder
Alex Hero (New York, NY/Hill School).
The Jeffs added two unearned runs in the fourth and struck for a three-run home run in the fifth by sophomore rightfielder
Mike Odenwaelder (Goshen, CT/Wamogo Regional).
Rutgers-Camden added its final three runs in the sixth, which featured a two-run single by sophomore second baseman
Brett Tenuto (Audubon, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and a RBI fielder's choice by junior first baseman
Connor Hall (Delran, NJ/Delran).
Holder went 3-for-3 with two doubles, two runs and one RBI for the Raptors, while Theckston and freshman third baseman
Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) both went 2-for-4 with one run. Theckston added one RBI.
Amherst 7, Rutgers-Camden 6 (10 innings)
The Jeffs outlasted the Scarlet Raptors in a marathon that featured 17 hits, 11 walks and 21 runners left on base, including 15 by Rutgers-Camden. The teams combined for five runs in the 10th inning, with Amherst's Jacobs slamming a three-run home run in the top of the frame. Rutgers-Camden notched two in the bottom of the inning on a two-run single by senior rightfielder
Adrian Gonzalez (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) before leaving the bases loaded to end the game.
Amherst nearly won the game in seven innings, taking a 4-0 lead and needing just three outs to wrap up the win before the Raptors tied the contest with a four-spot in the bottom of the seventh. Rutgers-Camden loaded the bases with no outs on hit batsman by junior designated hitter
Brandon Porter (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) and sophomore shortstop
Joe Sigismondi (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), sandwiched around a walk to junior centerfielder
Bobby Romano (Vineland, NJ/Vineland). Theckston plated one run with a sacrifice fly and Brooks walked to reload the bases. Freshman leftfielder
Doug Carter (Union, NJ/Union) delivered a clutch two-out, two-run single and Gonzalez followed with a game-tying single. The Raptors nearly won the game, but a shot by Hall down the first base line was turned into an out on a great play by Jeffs first baseman West.
Amherst had taken its lead with three runs in the fourth – aided by a two-run double from Odenwaelder – and an unearned run in the fifth.
For the game, Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, while Carter was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
In the doubleheader, Holder had four hits, while Brooks, Carter and Gonzalez each added three.
The Scarlet Raptors return to action at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday. They play a 9:30 a.m. game in Auburndale, Florida, against Anderson University (Anderson, Indiana).
