Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 8, 2017) – With three straight New Jersey Athletic Conference games over Friday and Saturday, the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team was hoping to make a big statement in the early-season NJAC race.
 
Instead, the Scarlet Raptors have put themselves in an early conference hole, aided by losing a doubleheader here Saturday against sister school Rutgers-Newark, 5-4 and 13-11.
 
The losses, coupled with a defeat against The College of New Jersey in a home game Friday, leaves Rutgers-Camden with a 10-11 record overall and, more importantly, a 1-4 mark in conference play. Newark, meanwhile, improved to 13-5 overall and evened its early-season NJAC mark at 2-2.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Monday when it plays a 3:30 p.m. NJAC makeup game at The College of New Jersey. The game was postponed on Thursday due to rain.
   
The Scarlet Raptors committed six errors and allowed only one earned run as they fell to the Scarlet Raiders in the opener. Three early errors spoiled a stellar start by senior Zach Welsher (Audubon, NJ/Audubon), who worked seven innings of six-hit ball , walking one, striking out 11 and allowing only three unearned runs.
 
Despite falling into a 3-0 hole through 5-1/2 innings, the Scarlet Raptors cut the deficit with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. They were aided by a walk and three hits, including a two-run single by freshman third baseman Matthew Stoots (Browns Mills, NJ/Pemberton).  
 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, sparked by a leadoff pinch-hit walk to sophomore Peter Farlow (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and a ringing double to right by senior first baseman Frank Cerami IV (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley). One out later, senior rightfielder Zach Ellin (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), playing in his 100th career game at Rutgers-Camden, walked to load the bases. Senior catcher Jon Theckston (Gloucester City, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was hit by a pitch to force home the tying run and a ground out by Stoots put the Raptors ahead, 4-3.
 
Newark, however, hit right back with a two-spot in the top of the eighth inning, sparked by a one-out double from junior first baseman Ross Halkias (Kinnelon, NJ/County College of Morris). He advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw and scored when a sacrifice fly was dropped for another error, allowing junior centerfielder Anthony Perconte (Westfield, NJ/Westfield) to reach second base. He scored the eventual winning run on a single by junior rightfielder Adam Tricarico (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway).
 
Junior Luis Rojas (Union, NJ/Union Catholic), the last of three Newark pitchers, earned the win, throwing 2.2 innings of one-hit, shutout ball. Rojas (2-0) walked one.
 
Junior Tommy Dolaghan (Harrison, NJ/High Tech) took the loss for the Raptors, his first decision at Rutgers-Camden. He worked two innings, allowing three hits and two runs (only one earned), while striking out one.
 
Cerami and Theckston both went 2-for-4 for the Scarlet Raptors. Theckston's four at bats pushed his career total to 503, making him only the fourth player in program history to pass the 500 at bat milestone.
    
Newark scored early and often, piling up a 13-0 lead in the middle of the third inning. The Scarlet Raiders sent 10 batters to the plate in both the first and third innings, scoring six times in each frame. They added a single run in the second, with Halkias collecting one RBI in each frame (a pair of run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly). Junior catcher Justin Marks (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) added a two-run single in the first and a RBI single in the third.
 
Facing the massive deficit, the Scarlet Raiders turned to Robbie Florich (Lithia, FL/Newsome) for long relief and the sophomore righty was magnificent, hurling 4.1 innings of one-hit ball, allowing only one run and three walks, while striking out seven. Florich's work allowed Rutgers-Camden to slowly climb back into the game.
 
The Scarlet Raptors eventually broke the shutout bid of Newark sophomore starter Anthony Rosoline (Prospect Park, NJ/Paramus Catholic) with three runs in the fifth inning. Rosoline (3-1) worked five full innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs, and three walks. He struck out one.
 
The Raptors' fifth inning featured five hits, sparked by a leadoff double from freshman shortstop Nolan Gerold (Merchantville, NJ/Camden Catholic). Gerold had an outstanding game in the nightcap, going 4-for-5 with one run and three RBIs. He moved to third on an infield single by freshman catcher Tyler Travis (Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional) and scored on a RBI single by junior centerfielder Moises Roque (Piedra Blanca, DR/Harrison).. Later in the frame, the Raptors received sacrifice flies from both Stoots and freshman designated hitter Matt Yanick (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra).
 
Rutgers-Camden jumped back into the game with five runs in the seventh inning, which included two walks, a hit batsman and three hits. One of the hits was a two-run double by Gerold. They also had a run-scoring single from freshman rightfielder John Tedeschi (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial), a RBI walk to freshman first baseman John DeSantis (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) and a run-scoring ground out by Travis. They were the first collegiate RBIs for all three players.
 
Rutgers-Camden batted around in the eighth inning to score three times, cutting the gap to 13-11, before the last of four Newark pitchers, junior Yanni Vayas (Warren, NJ/St. Joseph's-Metuchen) wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam to retire the side. DeSantis had a two-run single in the frame, while Gerold singled home the other run.
 
Vayas ended the Raptors' frantic comeback bid with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out two in the process. He ended up working 1.2 innings, allowing one hit, one walk and no runs. He struck out two to earn his first save of the season.
 
In addition to Gerold's big game, Stoots went 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI for the Raptors. Both Gerold and DeSantis had three RBIs apiece.