IMMACULATA, Penn. (April 22, 2019) – A history-making moment helped to propel the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team into a fourth-inning lead here Monday afternoon, but Immaculata University scored five runs over the next three frames and went on to post a 5-1 victory in a non-conference game.
 
The loss was the third straight for the Scarlet Raptors, who fall to 15-18. The Mighty Macs improve to 18-11 with their fourth straight win.
 
With the teams locked in a scoreless game in the top of the fourth inning, Raptor senior first baseman Chris Jones stroked a one-out single to left center, becoming the program's all-time hit leader in the process. It was the 209th career hit for Jones, who had entered the contest tied for the all-time Rutgers-Camden lead at 208 hits with Brian Murphy (2001-04).
 
Jones advanced to second base on a single by junior designated hitter Matt Yanick. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Jones scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by junior third baseman Matthew Stoots.
 
Immaculata tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a walk and a RBI double by first baseman Connor Blesi. The Mighty Macs took the lead for good with a three-run sixth inning, which featured three singles and three hit batsmen, two of them forcing in a run with the bases loaded. The last RBI came when Blesi was hit by a pitch with the bases full.
 
Immaculata added its final run in the seventh on a hit batsman and a RBI double by third baseman Tom Prato.
 
For the game, Rutgers-Camden hurlers hit five batters and allowed six hits and two walks. Blesi led the Mighty Macs offensively, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Prato also drove home two runs.
 
Immaculata senior Billy Manzo (5-1) worked six innings of five-hit ball, allowing one earned run and no walks, while striking out five. Junior Greg Grandelli picked up his first save with three innings of one-hit shutout ball. He walked one and struck out one.
 
Raptor junior starter Mike Calabrese took the loss to drop to 1-2. He allowed three hits, two walks, two hit batsmen and four earned runs in five innings. He struck out three.
 
Yanick led the Raptors' six-hit attack, going 2-for-4.
 
Jones also took part in the Raptors' lone double play, his 21st of the season and program-record 78th of his career. He had entered the game tied with Matt Calloway (2003-06) for the all-time double play lead.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Tuesday with a New Jersey Athletic Conference makeup game against Stockton University. The contest, one of the Raptors' series of home-away-from-home games this season, will be played at 3:30 p.m. at the Maplezone Sports Institute in Aston, Penn.