AUBURNDALE, Fla. (March 17, 2019) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team received RBI singles by juniors John Guccione and Wayne Jackson in the bottom of the seventh inning of the nightcap to pull out a 6-5 victory over Springfield College and earn the split of a doubleheader here Sunday at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
 
Springfield won the opening game, 5-4, behind three unearned runs in the sixth inning.
 
The split leaves the Scarlet Raptors with a 3-3 record. The Pride, from Springfield, Massachusetts, stand at 1-2.
 
The Scarlet Raptors resume their play at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational on Monday, traveling to Kissimmee, Florida, to face Ripon College (Ripon, Wisconsin) at 10 a.m.  
The Pride struck for three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, aided by two Raptor errors, to turn their 2-1 deficit into an eventual 5-4 victory.
 
Rutgers-Camden had just broken a 1-1 deadlock with a run in the top of the sixth inning, sparked by a leadoff single from freshman center fielder Brett Yurgin and a sacrifice from junior catcher Tyler Travis. After a fielder's choice advanced Yurgin to third, he scored on an infield single by junior third baseman Matt Stoots.
 
Springfield opened the bottom of the inning when left fielder Jack Cooney reached on an error. He was retired when second baseman Mark Joao reached on a fielder's choice. One out later, first baseman Noah Bleakley had an infield single and pinch-hitter Jason Bean walked to load the bases. Another error plated Joao with the tying run and pinch-hitter Nick Fazio capped the inning with a two-run single up the middle.
 
Springfield tacked on another run in the eighth inning, which proved to be the decisive tally when Rutgers-Camden scored twice in the top of the ninth on a walk to Stoots and a two-run home run by senior second baseman Chris Jones.
 
The Raptors' first run came in the opening frame on a home run by sophomore left fielder R.J. Concepcion.
 
The unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning spoiled an outstanding performance by Rutgers-Camden junior Bobby Girgenti, who was making his first Raptor start after playing two seasons at Camden County College. Girgenti, pictured above, worked 5-2/3 innings of five-hit ball, walking two and striking out 10. Only one of the four runs he allowed was earned as he was saddled with the tough-luck loss.
 
Concepcion and Jones both went 2-for-4 for the Scarlet Raptors.
   
Trailing by a 5-4 score in the bottom of the seventh, the Scarlet Raptors opened their winning rally with a double down the left field line by Concepcion. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by third baseman Guccione. A ground out advanced Guccione to second base and he scored on a two-out single through the left side of the infield by left fielder Jackson.
 
A trio of Raptor pitchers shut down the Pride on six hits. Dakota Herman worked the first four innings in his first Rutgers-Camden start, allowing two hits and four walks, while striking out three. Only one of the three runs off Herman was earned.
 
Drew Zytko hurled two innings, allowing four hits, striking out three and surrendering two unearned runs. while Daniel Beebe picked up the victory with three stellar innings. Beebe (1-1) walked one and struck out five in a hitless, scoreless stint.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored single runs in each of the first three innings, while Springfield briefly tied the game with a two-run top of the third. In the opening frame, Concepcion singled, stole second and scored on an error. The Raptors added a second-inning run when Jackson singled and scored on a double by sophomore right fielder Rob Scanlan.
 
After Springfield College tied the game with two unearned runs in the third, the Raptors bounced right back with an unearned run of their own. Guccione ripped a two-out double and scored on an error.
 
The Pride tied the game again with a fourth-inning run, but Rutgers-Camden regained the lead in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Jones and junior first baseman Matt Yanick.
 
Springfield notched a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to set up the Raptors' eventual game-winning rally in the seventh.
 
Concepcion, Guccione, Jackson, Jones and Scanlan had two hits apiece to power the Raptors' 11-hit attack.