NEWARK, N.J. (April 8, 2022) – Both the Rutgers University-Camden and Rutgers University-Newark baseball teams were looking to grab their first New Jersey Athletic Conference victory here Friday after being swept in season-opening conference doubleheaders last Saturday.
 
For most of the game, it appeared the Scarlet Raptors had that victory fairly well in hand before watching Newark overcome a five-run deficit to send the game into extra innings. Rutgers-Camden finally pulled out an 8-7 victory in the 10th inning as it improved to 13-9 overall and 1-2 in NJAC play. Rutgers-Newark fell to 10-9 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
 
The two teams, who were rained out of a scheduled game at Rutgers-Camden on Thursday, will play again with a makeup game in Camden on Monday at 6 p.m. Before that, both teams will play NJAC doubleheaders on Saturday, with the Scarlet Raptors hosting Ramapo College at 11:30 a.m. and the Scarlet Raiders playing a twinbill at The College of New Jersey.
 
Newark forced extra innings by scoring five runs in the bottom of the eighth against three Scarlet Raptor pitchers, aided by six hits, an error, a sacrifice fly and a hit batsman. That rally tied the game at 7-7.
 
In the top of the 10th inning, Rutgers-Camden pushed across the winning run following a leadoff single by senior designated hitter R.J. McGettigan. Freshman Sebastian Vega was inserted as a pinch-runner and was sacrificed to second by sophomore center fielder Auggie Uzdanovics. With two outs, junior second baseman Danny Vazquez singled through the left side of the infield to plate the eventual winning run.
 
Senior Nick Listro hurled a 1-2-3 bottom of the inning to earn his second save of the season. Junior Jared Vega (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win in relief, working 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out three.
 
The Scarlet Raptor struck quickly in the first inning after singles by senior shortstop Jesse Gerdes and McGettigan. They set the stage for a two-out, two-run triple by senior left fielder Garrett Warner.
 
Newark fought back with single runs in the second and fourth to tie the game before Rutgers-Camden seemingly pulled away for good. The Scarlet Raptors' three-run sixth inning was sparked by a one-out home run from junior first baseman Jack Murphy, his eight homer of the season. Gerdes and McGettigan added doubles, with McGettigan's hit scoring Gerdes, and Uzdanovics drilled an RBI single.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored two more runs in the seventh to build their 7-2 lead. Vazquez singled and stole second, freshman third baseman Andrew Brown walked and Murphy was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Junior catcher Jake Guglielmi stroked an RBI single and Gerdes hit a sacrifice fly.
 
The Raptors received seven strong innings from sophomore Nick Diaz before he tired in the eighth. He finished pitching seven-plus innings and allowing seven hits, two walks and six runs, five of them earned. He struck out seven.
 
McGettigan went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI, while Gerdes was 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Guglielmi and Vazquez both added two hits.
 
Three Rutgers-Newark players had two hits apiece, including senior catcher Chris Suleski, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, one walk and a solo home run.