Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 23, 2017) – Sophomore second baseman Kevin Campbell (Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) singled home an unearned run in the 11th inning of the nightcap to help the Montclair State University baseball team complete a sweep of a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader against Rutgers University-Camden here Sunday.
 
The Red Hawks won the opener, 4-2, and captured the marathon second game, 2-1. The same pitchers got the win and save in both games for Montclair State, as junior Anthony DiBlasio (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) notched a pair of victories out of the bullpen to raise his record to 3-2, while junior Taylor Parsons (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) collected his fourth and fifth saves of the season.
 
Rutgers-Camden collected 18 hits in the doubleheader, including 12 by a quartet of freshmen: Tyler Travis Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional) went 4-for-7, Matt Yanick (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) went 3-for-6 and John Tedeschi (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) went 3-for-10 while playing in both games, while John DeSantis (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) went 2-for-4 in the nightcap.
 
Prior to the doubleheader, which was postponed from Saturday due to rain, the Scarlet Raptors celebrated Senior Day to honor their seven departing players, who are all serving as team captains. Honored were Doug Carter Jr. (Union, NJ/Union), Frank Cerami IV (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley), Brandon Cornelius (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek), Zach Ellin (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), Paul Haynes (Blackwood, NJ/Triton Regional), Jon Theckston (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and Zach Welsher (Audubon, NJ/Audubon).
 
Montclair State improved to 13-19 overall and 6-8in the NJAC, while Rutgers-Camden fell to 12-20 overall and 3-11 in the conference.
 
Rutgers-Camden jumps right back into action on Monday when it travels to Reading, Pennsylvania, for a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game against No. 12/15 Alvernia University, weather permitting. The Scarlet Raptors are scheduled to host Moravian College Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
   
Raptor freshman starter Gianni D'Antonio (Sicklerville, NJ/Hammonton) didn't get an out in the four batters he faced to open the game, allowing back-to-back singles before a fielder's choice/throwing error allowed two runs to score and was followed by a RBI double from senior first baseman Ryan Thieme (Dumont, NJ/Dumont). Junior Carter Fichter (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) relieved D'Antonio and, after allowing a RBI single to the first batter he faced, worked out of the inning and went on to pitch the rest of the game, effectively keeping Rutgers-Camden in the contest. Fichter's final line was nine innings, seven hits, no runs, no walks and four strikeouts. He lowered his season ERA from 1.96 to 1.41.
 
While Fichter gave his teammates a chance to rally, Rutgers-Camden only managed a pair of runs off a trio of Montclair State pitchers. The Raptors left 12 runners on base and hit into a pair of double plays against starter Michael Manfra (Montville, NJ/Montville), DeBlasio and Parsons.
 
Manfra, despite holding a four-run lead, couldn't get out of the fifth inning to qualify for the win. He allowed three hits and five walks in 4.2 innings. He surrendered a single to Tedeschi, three walks and a fielder's choice RBI grounder by sophomore second baseman Chris Jones (Washington Township, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) in the fifth before being relieved by DeBlasio.
 
DeBlasio worked 2.2 innings, allowing four hits and striking out one. He was nicked for one run with one out in the eighth inning when Cerami doubled and freshman shortstop Nolan Gerold (Merchantville, NJ/Camden Catholic) singled him to third. Parsons came in and allowed a pinch-hit RBI single to Yanick before retiring the last five Raptors of the game to nail down his first save of the day.
 
Campbell and sophomore shortstop Justin Epifanio (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township) both went 2-for-4 for the Red Hawks. Travis was 2-for-3 and Tedeschi was 2-for-5 for the Scarlet Raptors.
   
The second game was a pitching duel started by Raptor freshman Jaylen Paula (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) and Red Hawk freshman Tyler Higgins (South River, NJ/South River). Paula worked seven innings, allowing only four hits, three walks and one unearned run, while striking out one. Higgins allowed one earned run and seven hits in 6.1 innings, walking none and fanning four.
 
Rutgers-Camden took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Tedeschi led off with a double, moved to third on a grounder to the right side by Ellin and scored on Theckston's grounder to third. Montclair State tied the game in the sixth on a walk, a passed ball and a RBI single by senior rightfielder Ryan Long (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township).
 
While three Red Hawk pitchers – including DeBlasio and Parsons – were shutting down Rutgers-Camden after Higgins left the game, Raptor sophomore Steven Bloyed (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) was doing the same against the Montclair State offense. Bloyed worked the final four innings, allowing only two hits while striking out four. In the 11th, however, an unearned run off Bloyed proved to be the difference in the game.
 
With two outs, Ryan Long reached second base on an infield throwing error and Campbell singled him home. In the bottom of the frame, Jones had a leadoff single against Parsons, but a double play and a strikeout ended the game.
 
Jones, Yanick, DeSantis and Travis each had two hits for the Scarlet Raptors. Montclair State, which collected only six hits, received two of them from senior centerfielder Phillip Scott (Paulsboro, NJ/Paulsboro), who lined a pair of doubles to right field.