Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (April 22, 2018) – Two outstanding collegiate baseball teams traded punches for nine innings here Sunday, and when the dust settled, Misericordia University survived the heavyweight battle with a 6-5 victory over Rutgers University-Camden in a non-conference game.
 
The Cougars improved to 23-10 with their fourth victory in the last three days. Rutgers-Camden fell to 20-12.
 
The lead changed hands three times in a game between a pair of teams that have both received votes in the national polls this season. Rutgers-Camden scored a first-inning run before Misericordia took its first lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. After Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, Misericordia regained the lead with a run in the top of the fifth, 3-2. The Scarlet Raptors immediately bounced back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain a 4-3 lead. The Cougars finally took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the seventh, and held Rutgers-Camden to only one run in the bottom of the frame before the teams closed out the game with a pair of scoreless innings.
 
Misericordia closer Kyle Melahn nailed down his fifth save of the season with a scoreless ninth inning. Melahn retired three straight batters – two on strikes – after walking Raptor freshman first baseman/left fielder R.J. Concepcion (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) to open the frame.
 
Misericordia sent eight batters to the plate in its big seventh inning, which included three hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly by hard-hitting junior designated hitter Santo Guinta. Junior center fielder Parker Abate had a RBI double in the frame and sophomore first baseman Tyler Holzapfel added a RBI single ahead of Guinta's sacrifice fly. Guinta finished the day going 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI, but would have easily had another extra-base hit without an outstanding catch in deep center field by Scarlet Raptor freshman Billy Eisler (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) in the ninth inning.
 
The Scarlet Raptors collected 12 hits off Misericordia starter Elliot Forde in six innings, but Forde managed to raise his record to 5-0-, walking one, striking out two and allowing four runs (three earned).
 
Rutgers-Camden scored a first-inning run when Eisler walked, reached second on a poor throw by Forde on a fielder's choice by sophomore catcher Tyler Travis (Berlin, NJ/Eastern Regional) and advanced on another fielder's choice. He scored on a RBI single by senior right fielder Brandon Cornelius (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek), who completed an unbelievable week by going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. During his six games this week, Cornelius went 16-for-24 (.667) with six doubles, one triple, nine runs and 12 RBIs. He had a 1.000 slugging percentage and added three walks and one HBP, finishing with a .667 on-base percentage.
 
Misericordia took the lead with a two-run fourth, sparked by Holzapfel getting hit by a pitch with one out. He scored the tying run when junior right fielder Steve Weisensee tripled to right center. A moment later, sophomore left fielder Sean Lyons singled home Weisensee.
 
The Raptors tied the game at 2-2 on three singles by sophomore shortstop Nolan Gerold (Merchantville, NJ/Camden Catholic), sophomore designated hitter Matt Yanick (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) and sophomore third baseman Matthew Stoots (Browns Mills, NJ/Pemberton), pictured above. Stoots, who collected the RBI, finished with a 4-for-4 performance, raising his batting average from .261 to .285.
 
After Misericordia regained the lead with an unearned run in the fifth, Rutgers-Camden bounced back with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the frame. Gerold hit a two-run single, scoring both Cornelius and junior second baseman Chris Jones (Washington Township, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep).
 
After Misericordia's three-run seventh inning, Jones doubled home a run for the Raptors in the bottom of the seventh, but it was the last run of the game.
 
Freshman Joseph Sponheimer (Mantua, NJ/Clearview Regional) worked the first five innings for the Scarlet Raptors, allowing four hits, two walks and three earned runs. He struck out one. Freshman Nick Kulikowski (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) worked 1-1/3 innings, allowing three hits, one walk and three earned runs. Kulikowski struck out two, but took the loss in his first collegiate decision. Senior Tommy Dolaghan (Harrison, NJ/High Tech) closed out the game with 2-2/3 hitless, scoreless innings. He walked two and struck out two.
 
In addition to the 4-for-4 performance by Stoots, Cornelius, Jones and Gerold each collected two hits. Nobody on Misericordia had more than one hit in their seven-hit attack.
 
The Scarlet Raptors host Moravian College Tuesday in a 4 p.m. non-conference game.