Box Score

GLASSBORO, N.J. – Rowan University senior third baseman Kevin McMenamin (Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) singled home the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning, shortly after Rutgers-Camden had tied the game, to lead the nationally-ranked Profs over the Scarlet Raptors, 6-5, in a tight New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Monday afternoon.
 
The loss snapped the Scarlet Raptors' seven-game winning streak and left Rutgers-Camden with a 9-9 record overall. The Raptors lead the NJAC with a 5-1 mark, which included a 4-2 win over Rowan on Thursday in Camden.
 
Rowan, which is ranked No. 30 in the ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Division III poll and received 29 votes last week toward the D3baseball.com Top 25, improves to 14-7 overall and 4-2 in the NJAC.
 
In a battle between two of the top teams in the NJAC, Rutgers-Camden took an early 3-0 lead in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore shortstop Pedro Perez (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) and a two-run single from senior center fielder Bobby Romano (Vineland, NJ/Vineland).
 
The Profs tied the game with a three-run fourth inning, which included RBI doubles by senior second baseman Johnny Dunn (Pitman, NJ/Pitman) and senior center fielder Nick Kreiger (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan). The doubles were sandwiched around a sacrifice fly from junior first baseman Steven Todd (Millstone Township, NJ/Allentown).
 
McMenamin put the Profs on top in the fifth inning with an RBI single, but Rutgers-Camden fought back with a run of its own in the sixth to tie the game. Singles by Romano and sophomore catcher Jon Theckston (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and a walk to junior second baseman Matthew McElhatton (Haddon Heights, NJ/Camden Catholic) loaded the bases with two outs. Junior designated hitter Joe Sigismondi (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), who had stroked a first-inning single through the left side of the infield for his 100th career hit, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in the tying run.
 
Not only was Sigismondi the 28th player in program history to reach 100 career hits, but the hit by pitch was the 29th of his career, breaking a tie for second place on the all-time Rutgers-Camden list with Shaune Collins (2012-13). The program's career leader is Tom Cusano (1991-94), who was hit 47 times.
 
Rowan jumped back on top again with a run in the seventh, sparked by a leadoff walk to McMenamin. He advanced on a sacrifice by Dunn and a fly out by Todd before scoring on a single by Kreiger.
 
The Raptors knotted the score in the top of the eighth when Romano singled and was erased on a fielder's choice by junior third baseman Brett Tenuto (Audubon, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). Tenuto scored on a triple by McElhatton.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, junior left fielder Eric Oliver (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) hit a two-out double and scored on a single by McMenamin.
 
Romano and Theckston led the 11-hit Raptor attack, going 3-for-4 apiece. Romano added one run and two RBIs. Sigismondi and sophomore left fielder Joe Brooks (Blackwood, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) both added two hits for Rutgers-Camden.
 
McMenamin and Kreiger both had three hits to lead the Profs' 12-hit attack.
 
Junior Ryan Sullivan (Livingston, NJ/Livingston), 1-2, took the loss in relief for the Raptors, working two innings and allowing three hits, one walk and one earned run.
 
Sophomore Brad Machinski (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West), 3-0, hurled 2.1 innings in relief to earn the victory. He allowed two hits and one earned run, while striking out three. Junior Corey Feigenbaum (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) earned his second save with a perfect ninth inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Tuesday with a non-conference makeup game at Widener University, beginning at 3:30 p.m.