MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (March 18, 2023) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team probably wishes it would never have to leave The Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
 
For the third straight game, the Scarlet Raptors scored in double figures, and this game capped off an amazing week on the spring break as Rutgers-Camden rolled up 13 hits, 13 walks, seven stolen bases and program records for team and individual sacrifice flies in one game. When the dust cleared, the Scarlet Raptors owned a 20-3 victory over Cairn University, improving their record to 7-5.
 
Rutgers-Camden finished its five-game trip to Myrtle Beach with a 4-1 record, winning its last four games after a narrow 7-6 loss in its southern opener. The offense rolled up 63 hits and 60 runs in the five games, including double digits in both categories over the last three contests.
 
The 20-run explosion against Cairn was the most runs since a similar 20-3 win over Immaculata on Feb. 23, 2020, and the Scarlet Raptors' nine-run third inning was the most since a program-record 12-run fifth inning in that Immaculata game. The Raptors' big inning Saturday came one day after an eight-run seventh inning in a 10-4 win over Salem State University.
 
Along the way, Rutgers-Camden delivered six sacrifice flies, breaking the old program mark of five set against Lincoln University on April 9, 2002. Three of those sacrifice flies were produced by sophomore outfielder Chris Bonafiglia, breaking the old single-game program mark of two, held by many players.
 
By the time Rutgers-Camden reached the third inning, it already held a 6-0 lead, courtesy of four runs in the first inning, including Bonafiglia's first sacrifice fly. The Raptors added two more runs in the second inning, setting the stage for the third-inning onslaught.
 
The third inning opened when Bonafiglia was hit by a pitch – one of five Raptors hit in the game – and both junior shortstop Giacomo Antonicello and freshman catcher Evan Carbone drew walks. Freshman right fielder Jacob Watson collected his third single in as many innings, knocking home two runs, and stole second base for the third straight inning. After a ground out, sophomore left fielder Frankie Romond singled home a pair of runs and stole second base. He advanced when sophomore first baseman Andrew Brown reached on an error and senior designated hitter Jack Murphy was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game, loading the bases. Sophomore third baseman Diego Salazar walked to force home Romond and Bonafiglia delivered his second sacrifice fly of the game. Antonicello capped the explosion with a three-run home run and Carbone added a single before Cairn's fourth pitcher of the game finally worked out of the inning.
 
The Scarlet Raptors, who led 15-0 after three innings, scored five runs over the last three innings against the final three of eight Cairn pitchers. Cairn scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning on three hits and a hit batsman.
 
Watson finished the game 3-for-5 with three runs and two RBIs. Vazquez went 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Bonafiglia and Antonicello both went 1-for-2 with two runs and three RBIs, while Romond and Salazar were both 1-for-2 and added two RBIs apiece.
 
Sophomore southpaw Daniel Robeson worked the first five shutout innings to raise his record to 3-1. He allowed three hits and one walk, while striking out five. Sophomores Andrew Proctor and Sebastian Vega finished the game, working two innings apiece.
 
The Scarlet Raptors host Swarthmore College Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.