GALLOWAY, N.J. (April 19, 2024) – When their home-and-home series started on Thursday, the Rutgers University-Camden and Stockton University baseball teams were tied for second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference race, one game behind Ramapo College.
 
Two days made a big difference in the standings after Stockton completed a two-game sweep of the Scarlet Raptors here Friday, winning by a 3-1 score. The Ospreys defeated the Scarlet Raptors in Camden on Thursday by a 6-2 score.
 
With Ramapo dropping two games against Kean University on Thursday and Friday, the Ospreys have suddenly vaulted into the NJAC lead with a 9-3 conference mark, one game ahead of both Ramapo and Kean (8-4). Rutgers-Camden dropped two games behind Stockton, with a 7-5 NJAC record and is tied with Montclair State University.
 
The win lifts Stockton to 18-12 overall, while Rutgers-Camden falls to 21-11.
 
In a pitching duel between Rutgers-Camden junior Ryan Rumsey and Stockton sophomore Zack McCabe, the Ospreys scored the only two runs over the first four innings when they struck twice in the second inning. Stockton used three hits, including a two-run double by sophomore catcher Cooper Fiore, to grab a 2-0 lead.
 
The Ospreys finally chased Rumsey in the fifth inning after a leadoff double by junior second baseman Jordan Nitti and a one-out walk. Senior Jacob Brennan relieved Rumsey and worked out of the inning after allowing an RBI single by sophomore shortstop Evan Bresnen.
 
Rutgers-Camden broke the shutout bid in the seventh inning after McCabe left the game. Senior designated hitter Jack Murphy greeted freshman pitcher Danny Furlong with his first career triple and scored on a ground out by senior third baseman Ryan Nutley.
 
The Scarlet Raptors loaded the bases in the ninth inning on a hit batsman (junior right fielder Steven Shaffer), a two-out single by junior first baseman Diego Salazar and a fielder's choice that didn't retire anyone. Stockton junior reliever Reece Miller worked out of the jam with a ground out to notch his sixth save.
 
Murphy, with three hits and five total bases (a triple and two singles) hiked his career total to 201 total bases, becoming only the 13th player in program history to reach 200 total bases.
 
Salazar added two hits for Rutgers-Camden.
 
McCabe (3-1) worked six innings of three-hit shutout ball, striking out five to earn the win. Rumsey (4-3) took the loss, working 4.1 innings, allowing six hits, five walks and three earned runs. He struck out two.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to NJAC action Saturday when they host Ramapo College in an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader.