GALLOWAY, N.J. (April 14, 2023) – By the time the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team clawed back into the game here Friday, the Scarlet Raptors already had dug a hole that proved too big to overcome.
 
Rutgers-Camden exploded for seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to climb within two runs of its New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent, but Stockton University put the game away with three in the bottom of the frame on the way to a 14-9 victory.
 
It was the Ospreys' second win in the two-day home-and-home NJAC series after a 6-1 victory Thursday in Camden. The results left both teams with 17-11 records overall, but the Ospreys stand at 5-3 in the NJAC, while the Scarlet Raptors fall to 3-5.
 
Stockton scored two runs apiece in the first and second innings and kept on going, building an 11-2 lead entering the wild seventh inning. Rutgers-Camden scored seven runs in the top of the frame close its deficit to 11-9, but Stockton countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame to account for the final score.
 
The Ospreys used a one-out walk to sophomore third baseman Jordan Nitti to jump-start a two-run first inning. Freshman shortstop Kevin Novobilsky followed with a RBI triple and scored on a ground out by freshman catcher Cooper Fiore.
 
Stockton added two more runs in the second inning to grab a 4-0 lead. A walk and a hit batsman set the stage for a two-out, two-run double by sophomore center fielder Tucker Elder.
 
Rutgers-Camden cut the lead in half with a two-run third inning, starting the frame with consecutive singles from sophomore first baseman Diego Salazar, junior shortstop Billy Richards and freshman right fielder Jacob Watson. Watson picked up an RBI. The Raptors squeezed home their second run on a bunt by senior second baseman Danny Vazquez, who was playing in his 100th career game at Rutgers-Camden.
 
The Ospreys struck again for single runs in the fourth and fifth innings before blowing the game open in a five-run sixth. The big hits of the frame were two-run singles by Novobilsky and senior right fielder Antonio Gatti.
 
Rutgers-Camden jumped right back into the game, scoring seven times in the seventh inning on five hits, a hit batsman and three Stockton errors. The rally was sparked by a leadoff pinch-hit single by sophomore Chris Bonafiglia. Freshman catcher Evan Carbone doubled him home and, after Richards reached on an error, Watson ripped a two-run double. An error, a hit batsman and an RBI single by sophomore third baseman Andrew Brown set up a two-run double by senior designated hitter Jack Murphy. Bonafiglia capped the explosion with a sacrifice fly.
 
Unfortunately for the Scarlet Raptors, Stockton had more offense left in its tank. Three hits, a walk and a hit batsman in the bottom of the inning led to the final three runs. The big blow was a two-run home run by Nitti.
 
Gatti finished with four RBIs on a 2-for-5 performance for Stockton, while Nitti and Novobilsky each added three RBIs. Novobilsky also went 3-for-4 with four runs scored as the Ospreys pounded out 14 hits.
 
Rutgers-Camden finished with eight hits, including a 2-for-5 day for Watson, who scored once and drove home three runs.
 
Rutgers-Camden senior Ethan Carpenter (4-2) worked the first five innings, allowing five hits, two walks and six runs, five earned. He struck out two. Stockton freshman starter Stephen DiMilio (3-2) picked up the win, allowing six hits and seven runs – only two of them earned – over 6.1 innings. He struck out two.
 
Rutgers-Camden was supposed to entertain New Jersey City University in a conference doubleheader Saturday, but that twinbill has been pushed back to Sunday due to the forecast. It will start at 11:30 a.m.