MAHWAH, N.J. (April 30, 2024) – One inning after the Rutgers University-Camden baseball team clawed back from a four-run hole to tie its New Jersey Athletic Conference playoff game here Tuesday, the Scarlet Raptors saw Ramapo College explode for three runs.
 
Although the Raptors nearly answered that rally, they fell one run short as they lost to the Roadrunners, 7-6, to drop into the NJAC tournament losers' bracket.
 
The loss leaves Rutgers-Camden with a 26-14 record, while Ramapo improves to 25-14.
 
The remainder of the double-elimination NJAC tournament will be played at Rutgers-Camden, beginning Friday. The Scarlet Raptors will play The College of New Jersey in a 3:30 p.m. losers' bracket game. Ramapo will play at 7 p.m. in a winners' bracket game against Rowan University.
 
NJAC Playoff Bracket
 
Ramapo used two hits, a hit batsman and a sacrifice fly to score a pair of first-inning runs. The Roadrunners tacked on a run in the second on a home run by junior catcher Jesse Swartout and scored again in the third on an RBI single by freshman designated hitter Zach Novakowski.
 
Ramapo sophomore pitcher James Pazdera was sailing along with his 4-0 lead until the sixth inning, when Rutgers-Camden knocked him out of the game with four hits, two walks and one Roadrunner error. Senior shortstop Billy Richards put the Scarlet Raptors on the board with a two-run double following a walk to senior third baseman Ryan Nutley and a single by senior designated hitter Jack Murphy. Sophomore catcher Evan Carbone singled home Richards and, following a two-out error, scored an unearned run on a single by junior right fielder Steven Shaffer, tying the game at 4-4.
 
Ramapo broke that tie in the bottom of the seventh inning on three hits, a hit batsman and two Rutgers-Camden errors. Senior first baseman John Higgins singled home the tie-breaking run and another run came home on a Raptor error. Novakowski singled home the final run of the inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden had one last rally, which fell short when the Raptors scored twice and left two men on base in the eighth inning. Carbone was hit by a pitch, Shaffer drew a one-out walk and senior second baseman Danny Vazquez walked to load the bases. Nutley collected an RBI when he was hit by a pitch and junior first baseman Diego Salazar hit a sacrifice fly.
 
Ramapo finished with 10 hits, including eight off junior starter Daniel Robeson (2-4), who allowed six runs (five earned) and two walks in 6.1 innings, while striking out four. Junior Billy Scanlon (1-0) picked up the win with 1.1 innings of shutout ball in relief of Pazdera.
 
Murphy went 3-for-5 with one run scored to pace the seven-hit Rutgers-Camden attack.