CAMDEN, N.J. (March 25, 2022) – For four innings here Friday, the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team was shut down by Widener University sophomore starter Sean Curran while the Pride built a 5-0 lead.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, however, rallied against a pair of Widener relievers and coupled with three shutout relief innings by sophomore lefty Zachary Cerveny,  pulled out an 8-5 victory in a non-conference game.
 
With their third straight victory, the Scarlet Raptors improve to 10-7, while the Pride falls to 7-10.
 
Widener scored three unearned runs in the second inning off Raptor junior starter John Kasper, aided by two hits, two errors and a hit batsman. The big blow was a two-out, bases-clearing double to right-center field by sophomore catcher Trey Tobinus.
 
The Pride tacked on single runs in the third and fourth innings, while Curran was throwing shutout ball. After he wriggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth inning, however, he didn't return for the fifth. He left with four shutout innings of four-hit ball, walking four and striking out three.
 
Rutgers-Camden immediately went to work against freshman Logan Myers in the fifth inning, tying the game with five runs on five hits, a walk and an error. Freshman center fielder Chris Bonafiglia sparked the rally with a leadoff walk and went to second on a passed ball. One out later, he advanced to third on a single by freshman third baseman Andrew Brown. A fielder's choice by junior first baseman Jack Murphy plated the Raptors' first run. Junior catcher Jake Guglielmi had an infield single and senior shortstop Jesse Gerdes drilled a two-run double into the right-center field gap. Senior left fielder Garrett Warner singled Gerdes to third and he scored moments later on an error. Junior second baseman Danny Vazquez plated Warner with the tying run on a single.
 
Kasper ended his day with six innings of eight-hit ball, allowing five runs (only two earned) and no walks. He struck out five and gave way to Cerveny, who finished the game with three hitless, scoreless innings. Cerveny walked one and struck out two, while the Raptors' offense helped him raise his record to 2-1 with a three-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
With one out in the seventh, Murphy and Guglielmi drew walks and Gerdes was hit by a pitch from Widener senior reliever Kyle Laing. Warner put the Raptors ahead with an RBI single, that plated a second run when the ball was booted in left field. Vazquez reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Senior designated hitter R.J. McGettigan delivered the final run with a sacrifice fly to right field.
 
Warner finished the day going 3-for-3 with one run and one RBI, while Vazquez was 2-for-3 and Brown went 2-for-5.
 
Rutgers-Camden was scheduled to host Ursinus College in a non-conference game on Monday, but that contest has been postponed due to the chilly weather forecast. The Bears will visit the Scarlet Raptors on Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. game.