SEWELL, N.J. (May 4, 2021) – Senior first baseman Matt Yanick drilled a three-run first-inning home run and sophomore right-hander Jack Murphy hurled seven strong innings to earn his first collegiate victory as Rutgers University-Camden defeated Rutgers University-Newark, 9-5, Tuesday in the first round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference Baseball Championship.
 
The game was played at the Gloucester campus of Rowan College-South Jersey.
 
Seventh-seeded Rutgers-Camden improves to 9-16 with the single-elimination game win. The Scarlet Raptors advance to the NJAC quarterfinals, a best-of-three series, beginning Friday at second-seeded William Paterson University. Friday's games begin at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. If necessary, a game will be played Saturday at 2 p.m. NOTE: WILLIAM PATERSON SPECTATOR POLICY!
 
NJAC bracket

Rutgers-Camden went 0-5 against Paterson this season, including two games that counted in the NJAC standings and three that were played before the conference schedule started.
 
Tenth-seed Rutgers-Newark closes its season at 2-17. It was the Scarlet Raiders' third loss against the Scarlet Raptors this season, including a 9-5, 7-4 doubleheader sweep in Newark on April 8.
 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good in the bottom of the first inning after both senior center fielder Billy Eisler and senior second baseman R.J. Concepcion were hit by pitches. Yanick followed by unloading his eighth home run of the season to left field. His eighth homer tied for third on the program's single-season list. He ranks third on the career home run list with 18.
 
The Scarlet Raptors tacked on another run in the second inning after freshman third baseman Auggie Uzdanovics walked and was sacrificed to second by senior catcher Thomas Gosse. Eisler singled him to third. He scored on a wild pitch from Newark senior Michael Katims, who relieved starter Michael Matusz (0-4) after Uzdanovics drew the leadoff walk in the inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden continued building its lead, scoring twice in the fourth. Uzdanovics singled, stole second and was plated by an Eisler single before sophomore shortstop Danny Vazquez delivered a RBI double. In the fifth, junior designated hitter Jesse Gerdes hit his first home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, to make it 7-0.
 
Defensive breakdowns by the Scarlet Raptors proved costly in the sixth inning, as three errors contributed to three unearned runs off Murphy. The big hit of the inning was a two-run single by freshman third baseman Robert Gonzalez.
 
Doubles by Uzdanovics and Concepcion helped the Scarlet Raptors get a run back in the bottom of the sixth, but Rutgers-Newark scored single runs in the seventh and eighth to cut the gap to 8-5. The Scarlet Raptors tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Vazquez and junior Nick Listro closed down Newark in the ninth inning, allowing just one hit while fanning one.
 
Murphy (1-1) finished with seven innings of seven-hit ball, walking one and striking out four. All four runs he allowed were unearned in a game where the Scarlet Raptors made five errors.
 
Uzdanovics went 2-for-2 with two walks and four runs scored for the Raptors, while Yanick was 2-foer-4 with his home run, three RBIs and one run. Eisler went 2-for-2 with two runs, one RBI, two walks and one HBP in the leadoff spot, while Gerdes was 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.