GLASSBORO, N.J. (April 15, 2021) – Nobody can ever accuse the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team of ducking strong opponents as it plays out its pandemic-altered season this spring.
 
During their first 13 games, the Scarlet Raptors have played eight times against teams that have appeared in the D3baseball.com Top 25 poll, which was the case again here Thursday as they dropped a 12-4 decision against Rowan University.
 
Rowan, 17th in this week's D3baseball.com Top 25 poll and ranked as high as eighth earlier in the year, improves to 9-2 overall and 7-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference with its seventh straight win. Rutgers-Camden, which saw its four-game winning streak snapped, falls to 5-8 overall and 4-3 in the NJAC. The Raptors are 1-7 against three nationally-ranked NJAC teams, including 0-5 against William Paterson University (#22 this week), 0-1 against Rowan and 1-1 against Kean, which has been ranked as high as #11 this year.
 
Rowan took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, aided by three hits, including a RBI double by junior right fielder Ryan Murphy and a run-scoring single by senior designated hitter Michael Manganella.
 
After an RBI single by Raptor freshman third baseman Auggie Uzdanovics cut the Rutgers-Camden deficit to 2-1 in the top of the second inning, the Profs bounced back with five runs in the bottom of the frame. The six-hit inning featured two-run singles by senior second baseman Alex Kokos and by Murphy.
 
Rutgers-Camden fought back in the top of the third when senior center fielder Billy Eisler reached on catcher's interference and junior shortstop Jesse Gerdes singled. They both rode home on a three-run home run by senior left fielder R.J. Concepcion, his third home run in two games.
 
Concepcion's home run cut the Raptors' deficit to 7-4, but the Profs kept on scoring in every inning until the sixth, then added their final run in the seventh.
 
Junior Colin Carr started and took the loss for the Scarlet Raptors, working four innings and allowing 11 hits and 10 runs, eight earned. He struck out four and didn't walk a batter.
 
Senior Drew Ryback worked the first seven innings for Rowan, allowing nine hits and four runs, three earned. He also struck out four without allowing a walk.
 
Senior third baseman Ryan McIsaac went 3-for-5 with three runs out of the leadoff spot for the Profs. Three other players had two hits apiece in Rowan's 14-hit attack, including Murphy, who went 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs.
 
Rutgers-Camden collected 10 hits in the game. Gerdes and Concepcion both went 2-for-4 with one run. Concepcion added three RBIs.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Friday with another NJAC game at Rowan University (3:30 p.m.) as it continues playing its 2021 season on the road while awaiting the completion of its new ballpark in Camden.