MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 14, 2023) – Junior righty Joey Rappaport hurled seven shutout innings and freshman right fielder Jacob Watson went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and one run scored as the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team defeated Suffolk University, 7-1, here Tuesday morning at The Ripken Experience.
 
The Scarlet Raptors improved to 4-5 with an impressive performance just hours after suffering a tough loss against Susquehanna University in a late game Monday night.
 
The Suffolk Rams, based in Boston, fell to 2-3.
                                                                                 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good with an unearned run in the second inning after senior designated hitter Jack Murphy reached on an error, advanced on a passed ball and was sacrificed to third by junior center fielder Auggie Uzdanovics. Watson plated Murphy with an infield single.
 
The Scarlet Raptors added another unearned run in the fourth inning on a one-out single by Murphy, a stolen base and a walk to Uzdanovics. An error on a fielder's choice loaded the bases and Watson picked up an RBI with a grounder to second base.
 
A two-out error contributed to another unearned run in the sixth inning for Rutgers-Camden, which also received singles in the frame from Uzdanovics, Watson and freshman catcher Evan Carbone. Carbone's bunt single was his first collegiate hit and Watson's single gave him his third RBI of the day.
 
While Rutgers-Camden was building its lead, Rappaport was giving the Scarlet Raptors seven shutout innings in their longest mound stint of the season. The transfer from Camden County College allowed five hits and three walks. Rappaport (1-1) struck out five to collect his first win at Rutgers-Camden.
 
Both teams plated a run in the eighth inning, with Carbone notching his first collegiate RBI on a single, following a single and a stolen base by Watson.
 
Rutgers-Camden added three runs in the ninth inning on two hit, a run-scoring wild pitch and a sacrifice fly. Sophomore Chris Bonafiglia had a pinch-hit single, went to third on a single by sophomore first baseman Andrew Brown and scored on a wild pitch. Uzdanovics reached on a fielder's choice that plated Brown and, after two wild pitches, scored on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Billy Richards. It was the first Rutgers-Camden RBI for Richards, another transfer from Camden County College.
 
Watson led the Raptors' nine-hit attack with three singles and added three RBIs, one run and two stolen bases. Carbone went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
 
Second baseman Timothy McCarthy had two of the seven Suffolk hits off a trio of Raptor pitchers.
 
The Scarlet Raptors will continue play at The Ripken Experience on Wednesday when they face Plymouth State University (Plymouth, New Hampshire) at 10 a.m.