SWARTHMORE, Penn. (March 26, 2024) – Sophomore left fielder Jacob Watson is the spark the ignites a potent Rutgers University-Camden offense and the Scarlet Raptors' leadoff man did it again here Tuesday.
 
Watson went 4-for-5, scored two runs, had one RBI and stole three more bases as Rutgers-Camden defeated Swarthmore College, 8-5, in a non-conference baseball game. The three stolen bases increased his program career-record total to 60 and gave him 27 this season, only six short of the single-season program mark he set as a freshman. Watson, who has at least one steal in 16 of his 18 games this season, raised his batting average to .435 with his four hits.
 
The Scarlet Raptors raised their record to 13-5 with their sixth win in seven games and their eighth victory in the last 10 games.
 
Swarthmore fell to 10-9.
 
Rutgers-Camden took the lead for good with three runs in the top of the first inning, sparked by back-to-back singles from Watson and senior second baseman Danny Vazquez. Junior center fielder Steven Shaffer reached on an error to load the bases. One out later, senior third baseman Ryan Nutley stroked a two-run single to left field. Junior first baseman Diego Salazar followed with an RBI single to center.
 
Salazar singled in the fourth inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch to give the Scarlet Raptors a 4-1 lead, but Swarthmore cut its deficit to 4-3 with a pair of runs in the sixth inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning on three hits, starting with a bunt single and a stolen base from Watson. Vazquez sacrificed him to third and Shaffer walked and stole second base. Senior designated hitter Jack Murphy singled home two runs and advanced to second base on a single by Nutley. After a wild pitch, Salazar delivered Murphy with a sacrifice fly.
 
Swarthmore struck for two runs on two hits and an error in the bottom of the frame, but the Scarlet Raptors tacked on an insurance run in the eighth, sparked by a leadoff single from freshman catcher Julian Gonzalez. Senior Auggie Uzdanovics, who went in to play center field, reached on a fielder's choice to force Gonzalez. Uzdanovics stole second and scored on an RBI single by Watson.
 
In addition to Watson's four hits, the Scarlet Raptors received two hits and two RBIs apiece from Nutley and Salazar, while Gonzalez also added a pair of hits.
 
Junior starter Ryan Rumsey (3-1) picked up the win on the mound, working five innings of six-hit ball. He walked two batters, struck out one and allowed two runs, only one of them earned. Senior Jacob Brennan picked up his first career save, working 2.2 innings of stellar relief work, with the only one man reaching base against him coming on a ninth-inning error. He struck out three.
 
The Scarlet Raptors begin their New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule on Saturday with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader at New Jersey City University.