COLLEGEVILLE, Penn. (March 2, 2020) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team received strong pitching, a milestone performance and broke open a tie game with a five-run seventh inning on the way to an 8-2 victory here Monday at Ursinus College.
The win was the third in two days for the Scarlet Raptors, who swept a doubleheader from Oneonta Sunday, have now won four straight games and stand at 4-1 overall.
It was the season opener for Ursinus.
The Scarlet Raptors had heroes up and down the lineup, beginning with starting pitcher
Ethan Pritchett, a junior transfer who was making his second appearance at Rutgers-Camden and his first start. Pritchett hurled five innings of two-hit shutout ball, walking four and striking out nine batters.
Sophomore pitcher
Stephen Brady picked up the win for his first career decision at Rutgers-Camden. He worked three innings, allowing two hits and one earned run, while striking out three.
The Scarlet Raptors broke a scoreless deadlock in the fourth inning when sophomore designated hitter
Brett Yurgin hit a leadoff home run to left field. It was his second home run of the season.
The Bears tied the game in the sixth off Brady, aided by a leadoff triple from senior right fielder Alex Mumme. He scored on an infield error.
Rutgers-Camden unleashed its potent attack in the top of the seventh inning, sparked by a leadoff single from senior catcher
Thomas Gosse. Gosse stole second and freshman shortstop
Danny Vazquez was hit by a pitch. Junior center fielder
Billy Eisler dropped down a sacrifice bunt and, one out later, Yurgin was intentionally walked, loading the bases for dangerous cleanup hitter
R.J. Concepcion. The junior left fielder ripped a tie-breaking two-run single to left.
Senior first baseman
Matt Yanick followed by etching his name in program history. Yanick unloaded a three-run home run to left-center field for his 100th career hit. He became the 37th player in program history to reach the century mark. Ten of those hits are home runs, tying for sixth on the program's career list with
Connor Hall (2012-15). Yanick will soon have more company in the 100-hit club, with Concepcion on the verge of that milestone. Concepcion, who went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs on the day, pushed his career high total to 96.
The Raptors added their final two runs in the eighth inning after a walk to Gosse and an error on a grounder by Vazquez. One out later, sophomore third baseman
Jesse Gerdes delivered a two-run double to center.
Ursinus collected its final run in the ninth when Eisler came on to make his first collegiate pitching appearance. He worked one inning, allowing one hit and one earned run.
In addition to three hits by Concepcion, Gosse went 2-for-3. Gosse, Vazquez and Yurgin all scored two runs. Yanick's three RBIs led the way in that category, while Gerdes and Concepcion had two apiece.
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Monday, March 9, with a 3 p.m. game at Neumann University.
