JERSEY CITY, N.J. (March 19, 2021) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team ran into a tough pitcher in its season opener here Friday, and a cold, windy day in Jersey City didn't help matters.
 
New Jersey City University junior righty Paul Tannucilli hurled scoreless ball over seven innings and sophomore Aaron Ayers completed the shutout as the Gothic Knights blanked the Scarlet Raptors, 7-0. The game counted as a non-conference game, since the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule doesn't start until April 3.
 
NJCU improves to 2-3. Rutgers-Camden also lost its season opener last season before winning its next five games in the season cut to six games due to the pandemic.
 
Tannucilli (1-1) struck out eight, walked one and allowed six hits in his seven shutout innings. Ayers allowed three hits and struck out one to complete the combined shutout.
 
NJCU scored all the runs it needed with a two-run first inning off Raptor senior tri-captain and righty Mike Calabrese. The Gothic Knights took advantage of three walks and two hit batsmen in that frame, with a bases-loaded HBP to junior designated hitter Leo Colon and a walk to sophomore shortstop Jimmy Vizzoni forcing in the runs.
 
A hit batsman, a walk and two singles plated another NJCU run in the second inning and the Gothic Knights tacked on a run in the third inning to make it 4-0. That run came on a RBI single by freshman leftfielder Elijah Colon.
 
The Gothic Knights left the bases loaded in both of the first two innings and had 11 left on base in the game. Rutgers-Camden also left 11 on base, including five frames with two runners stranded.
 
Calabrese (0-1) ended up working two innings, allowing two hits, three earned runs, four walks, three strikeouts and three hit batters. Sophomore righty Dylan Wichrowski hurled 4.1 innings of relief ball, allowing four hits, three runs (two earned) and one walk, while fanning four. Sophomore right-hander Jack Murphy, who started the game at third base, hurled the final 1.2 innings for the Scarlet Raptors, allowing three hits and one unearned run, while striking out three.
 
Rutgers-Camden received two hits apiece from two of its senior tri-captains, first baseman Matt Yanick and catcher Thomas Gosse.
 
A pair of juniors, first baseman Ricky Voss and catcher Sebastian Bellone, had two hits apiece for NJCU.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Sunday with a doubleheader at William Paterson University, beginning at 12 p.m.