Box Score

AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 12, 2018) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team was in a great position to win its fifth straight game here Monday at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational until everything fell apart in the ninth inning.
 
The Scarlet Raptors allowed two unearned runs in the top of the ninth inning as they lost to Beloit College (Beloit, Wisconsin), 6-5, to snap their four-game winning streak. Rutgers-Camden falls to 4-2, while Beloit improves to 2-3.
 
With the Scarlet Raptors leading, 5-4, Beloit senior catcher Jeremy Dutton reached on an infield error to open the ninth inning. Junior second baseman Ethan Conley followed with a bunt single. Two outs later, another infield error scored both runners.
 
Rutgers-Camden put a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth before Buccaneers junior pitcher Josh Nelson nailed down the win with a strikeout. Nelson (1-0) picked up the victory in relief, working five innings of three-hit shutout ball with no walks and four strikeouts. Beloit starter Justin Kopech worked the first four innings, allowing seven hits, five runs (three earned) and two walks. He struck out one.
 
Raptor sophomore Daniel Beebe (Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional), pictured above, was the tough-luck loser, working two innings of two-hit ball and striking out one. Both runs off of him were unearned, turning what would have been his first career save into his first decision with a loss.
 
Raptor junior starter Steven Bloyed (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) worked the first seven innings, allowing nine hits, two walks and four runs, only two of them earned. Bloyed struck out four and was in line for the win until the ninth-inning turnaround.
 
On a rainy day in Florida, Rutgers-Camden made six errors, leading to four unearned runs.
 
After falling behind by an unearned run in the top of the second inning, the Scarlet Raptors scored three times in the bottom of the frame, sparked by a one-out single from freshman center fielder Billy Eisler (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic). Following a fielder's choice that forced Eisler at second base, senior right fielder Brandon Cornelius (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) singled and sophomore shortstop Nolan Gerold (Merchantville, NJ/Camden Catholic) singled home the tying run. Sophomore first baseman John DeSantis (Southampton, NJ/Seneca) followed with a two-run double down the left field line.
 
The Raptors added two unearned runs in the third when sophomore designated hitter John Tedeschi (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) walked and Eisler reached on catcher's interference. Sophomore third baseman Matthew Stoots (Browns Mills, NJ/Pemberton) plated both runners with a two-out double to right field.
 
Beloit chipped away with single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings before winning the game in the ninth.
 
The Scarlet Raptors collected 10 hits in the game, including two apiece by sophomore catcher Tyler Travis (Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional), Cornelius, Gerold and DeSantis.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Tuesday at the RussMatt Invitational, facing Webster University at 5 p.m.