CAMDEN, N.J. (March 29, 2025) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat New Jersey City University, 4-3, in the opening game of a doubleheader here Saturday and went on to win the nightcap, 6-4, aided by a record-tying home run from graduate student designated hitter Jack Murphy.
 
Murphy's home run was the 21st of his stellar career, tying the program's all-time record set by Brian Murphy (2001-04). Earlier this week, Jack Murphy broke Brian Murphy's career record with his 155th game played.
 
The twinbill marked the opening games of the New Jersey Athletic Conference season for both teams and stretched the Scarlet Raptors' winning streak to four games. Rutgers-Camden, which received 69 votes toward Tuesday's ABCA Top 30 poll and 41 votes toward the D3basesball.com Top 25 poll, improved to 15-5 overall. NJCU fell to 9-9-1.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action on Tuesday with a non-conference home game at 6 p.m. against Delaware Valley University.
   
Trailing, 3-0, entering the bottom of the seventh inning, the Scarlet Raptors clawed one run back after back-to-back singles by Murphy and sophomore right fielder Brandon Petrick set the table. Junior Jacob Watson had a sacrifice bunt to set up a sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Julian Gonzalez.
 
In the eighth inning, the Scarlet Raptors' winning rally started with a solo home run by junior second baseman Frankie Romond. Back-to-back walks to senior center fielder Steven Shaffer and senior first baseman Diego Salazar and a sacrifice bunt by senior third baseman Ryan Nutley put a pair of runners in scoring position. Murphy followed with a two-run double to right center, giving the Raptors the eventual winning margin.
 
Senior Joey Rappaport (1-2) picked up the win in relief of senior starter Ethan Carpenter. Rappaport hurled 2.1 scoreless innings of one-hit ball, while striking out three without walking a batter. Graduate student Jacob Shapley picked up his third save of the season with a scoreless inning, allowing one hit.
 
Murphy went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBIs, while Gonzalez was 2-for-3 with one RBI.
   
Senior southpaw Daniel Robeson (2-1) hurled seven strong innings as Rutgers-Camden built a 6-1 lead before allowing three runs in the ninth inning. Robeson allowed four hits and one unearned run, while walking three and striking out seven.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored twice in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Romond and an RBI double by Nutley. They scored four runs in the sixth inning on three hits, a walk, an RBI fielder's choice by Nutley and a record-tying three-run home run by Murphy.
 
Romond and Salazar both collected two hits as they raised their career totals to 97 and 92, respectively. Murphy had three RBIs, while Nutley added two.
 
For the doubleheader, Murphy had four hits and five RBIs. Romond had three hits, including two home runs.