CAMDEN, N.J. (April 16, 2024) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team rallied for six runs over the final three innings, including three in the bottom of the ninth, to stun Alvernia University, 9-8, in a non-conference Senior Night game here Tuesday.
 
Trailing, 8-6, as they took their last at bats, the Raptors rallied, sparked by a leadoff pinch-hit double from junior Jose Correa. Correa was replaced by freshman pinch-runner Austin Dubler, and junior Diego Salazar was hit by a pitch in a pinch-hitting appearance. He was replaced by freshman pinch-runner Matt McAleer and the Golden Wolvers went to their bullpen to swap out one reliever for another, bringing in sophomore Brad Coley.
 
Sophomore left fielder Jacob Watson dropped down a sacrifice bunt and senior second baseman Danny Vazquez brought the Raptors to within one run with a sacrifice fly. Moments later, junior first baseman Steven Shaffer singled home McAleer with the tying run, then advanced to second base on a wild pitch. He scored the winning run on a single by senior designated hitter/starting pitcher Jack Murphy, which deflected off the Alvernia shortstop on a tough play.
 
The win lifted the Scarlet Raptors to 21-9, while the Golden Wolves fell to 20-11.
 
The ninth-inning rally was the second late-inning three-run frame for the Scarlet Raptors, who found themselves trailing, 8-3, as they came to bat in the seventh inning. With one out, Junior catcher Julian Gonzalez singled and senior right fielder Giacomo Antonicello walked. One out later, Vazquez loaded the bases when he reached on a fielder's choice which failed to record an out. A wild pitch scored Gonzalez and Shaffer drilled a two-run double to right center, making it an 8-6 game.
 
Both teams scored twice in the first inning, with the Scarlet Raptors scoring on an RBI triple by Shaffer and an RBI single by Murphy. Alvernia, however, kept on scoring with a run in the second and two apiece in the third and fifth innings to take a 7-2 lead.
 
Rutgers-Camden scored in the bottom of the fifth when Watson was hit by a pitch and stole second base, giving him a single-season record of 34 steals. He broke his own mark of 33, set last year during his freshman season. He scored on a single by Vazquez.
 
Alvernia countered with a run in the sixth inning to establish its 8-3 lead. That would be the last time the Golden Wolves crossed the plate, as Rutgers-Camden received outstanding relief work from seniors Joey Rappaport (1.1 innings), Jacob Brennan and Dustin Bellis on a night where the Scarlet Raptors honored eight seniors. All three relievers threw shutout ball, with Rappaport allowing one hit and striking out three in his stint, while Brennan and Bellis both walked one and struck out one in hitless outings. Bellis (1-0) earned the win when the Raptors rallied in the bottom of the ninth.
 
Offensively, Shaffer went 3-for-5 with two runs and four RBIs, while Murphy went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and Vazquez went 1-for-4 with one run and two RBIs. Watson went 1-for-3 with two runs and his record-breaking stolen base. He owns both the single-season and career stolen base records, as his 34th steal increased his all-time mark to 67 steals.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Thursday when they entertain Stockton University in a 3:30 p.m. New Jersey Athletic Conference game.