Box Score

EWING, N.J. – For two days in their home-and-home series against The College of New Jersey, the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team had been looking for an offensive spark.
 
It was provided by sophomore catcher Jon Theckston (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic).
 
Theckston unloaded a grand slam to cap a six-run sixth inning and the Scarlet Raptors went on to defeat the Lions, 9-4, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Friday.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 16-10 overall and 10-2 in the NJAC, a day after losing a 6-1 decision against TCNJ at its home park, Campbell's Field.
 
The Lions fall to 13-13 overall and 6-6 in the NJAC.

 
Trailing, 2-1, entering the sixth inning, the Scarlet Raptors loaded the bases, sandwiched around a fly out, on singles by senior center fielder Bobby Romano (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), senior right fielder Adam Bartholomew (Haddon Heights, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) and sophomore shortstop Pedro Perez (Burlington, NJ/Burlington City). A wild pitch scored the tying run and junior third baseman Billy Jackson (Estell Manor, NJ/Buena) and junior designated hitter Joe Sigismondi (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) followed with walks to force home the go-ahead tally. Theckston then unloaded a grand slam to left field, the Scarlet Raptors' first slam since Adrian Gonzalez hit one against Worcester State in the fifth inning on March 18, 2014.
 
The grand slam also extended Theckston's hitting streak to 11 games, the longest on the team this season.
 
Rutgers-Camden added two more runs in the eighth inning after Sigismondi reached on a fielder's choice. He scored on a double by sophomore left fielder Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional). Romano followed with a triple to plate Brooks.
 
The Lions closed out the scoring with a pair of eighth-inning runs.
 
Both teams both scored an early run, with the Lions taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a single by junior center fielder John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills), a stolen base, a bunt single by junior left fielder Mark Mari (Bayonne, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) and a run-scoring wild pitch.
 
The Scarlet Raptors tied the game in the second on an unearned run following a two-out infield error with the bases loaded.
 
The Lions regained the lead with an unearned run in the third inning, aided by a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, and held that advantage until the Raptors' big sixth inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden junior Ryan Sullivan (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) worked seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs (one earned) to raise his record to 3-2. He walked one and struck out two.
 
Freshman Carter Fichter (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) hurled the final two innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs, while striking out two.
 
TCNJ freshman Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) took the loss, working 5.1 innings and allowing five hits, four walks and five runs, four of them earned. Curry (0-1) struck out one.
 
Romano went 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI for the Raptors, while Brooks and Jackson both had two hits. Theckston had the one big hit for four RBIs.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. NJAC doubleheader at New Jersey City University.