BETHLEHEM, Penn. (March 28, 2019) – Over their previous three games, the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team went 1-2 with a total of five runs and 22 hits.
 
The Scarlet Raptors broke out of that slump in a big way here Thursday.
 
Rutgers-Camden (7-9) exploded for 13 runs and 18 hits, both season highs, as it defeated Moravian College, 13-2, in a game called after eight innings due to darkness.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored early, often and in bunches, beginning when the first batter of the game, freshman center fielder Brett Yurgin, drilled a solo home run. Yurgin's home run sparked a four-run, five-hit inning, which continued with consecutive singles from junior catcher Tyler Travis, senior first baseman Chris Jones and junior designated hitter Matt Yanick. Yanick's single to right drove home Travis. Junior third baseman Matthew Stoots sandwiched a walk between a pair of Raptor outs and junior second baseman John Guccione capped the inning with a two-run single to left field.
 
The Raptors had another five-hit inning in the fourth inning, which became the first of their trio of three-run frames. They also scored three runs in the sixth inning and the eighth inning. In the fourth inning, Yurgin hit a one-out double to spark the rally. One out later, Jones and Yanick ripped RBI singles and, after a walk by junior left fielder Wayne Jackson, junior Matthew Stoots hit a RBI single.
 
The Raptors' three-run sixth inning also started in a similar fashion, with a double by Yanick sandwiched around two outs. Stoots doubled him home, sophomore right fielder Billy Eisler had a bunt single and Guccione was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sophomore shortstop Mike Paciocco delivered a two-run single to center.
 
Rutgers-Camden capped its big day with three unearned runs in the eighth inning, aided by three hits and one big error. The frame started with two quick strikeouts before Eisler and Guccione singled. Paciocco reached on a fielder's choice that allowed a run to score on a throwing error. Yurgin capped the frame with a two-run single.
 
In another pre-determined split on the mound, Raptor freshman starter Colin Carr (1-0) collected his first collegiate win, working 4-1/3 innings of four-hit ball, allowing two earned runs and striking out three. A trio of Raptor pitchers combined for shutout one-hit ball the rest of the way, with junior Dakota Herman working 1-2/3 innings, while sophomore Jaylen Paula and senior Drew Zytko worked one inning apiece.
 
Yurgin finished the day going 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs at the top of the Raptor lineup. A trio of other Rutgers-Camden players – Jones, Yanick and Eisler – collected three hits apiece. Yanick scored three runs.
 
Jones' three hits gave him 189 for his stellar career, moving him into second place on the all-time Rutgers-Camden list. He passed both Joe Brooks (2014-16) and Matt Calloway (2003-06), who both collected 187 hits. Jones is now within 19 hits of the program's career record of 208, set by Brian Murphy (2001-04).
 
Guccione and Stoots had two hits and two RBIs apiece.
 
The Scarlet Raptors open their New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader at William Paterson University.