CAMDEN, N.J. (May 9, 2025) – The Rutgers University-Camden Scarlet Raptors entered the New Jersey Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament as the sixth seed.
 
They left here Friday as the NJAC champions.
 
The Scarlet Raptors swept through the conference tournament with a 4-0 record, capping their run through the playoffs by defeating The College of New Jersey, 5-2, to earn the first NJAC championship in program history. Along the way, the Raptors defeated each of the top four seeds, starting with top-seeded Kean (7-4) and progressing through fourth-seeded Montclair State (12-8 in 10 innings), second-seeded Rowan (19-7) and finishing with third-seeded TCNJ.

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The NJAC title earns Rutgers-Camden (29-15) a trip to the NCAA tournament for the second time in program history (the 2014 team earned an at-large bid), and the first time as the conference champion. The NCAA will release its regional tournament fields on Monday.
 
TCNJ (26-17-1) reached the championship round earlier in the day by eliminating Rowan, 6-4, in the losers' bracket finals.
 
The Scarlet Raptors rode the clutch pitching of senior Daniel Robeson and graduate student Jacob Shapley, while getting timely hits and big defensive plays.
 
After Robeson (3-3) shut down the Lions in the top of the first inning, Rutgers-Camden didn't waste any time in taking the lead against TCNIJ senior starter Dan Merkel (2-4). Sophomore designated hitter Austin Dubler drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. He was erased when junior second baseman Frankie Romond reached on a fielder's choice and freshman left fielder Ryan Joseph was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, setting the stage for a two-run single to center field by graduate first baseman Jack Murphy.
 
Rutgers-Camden struck again in the third inning when Joseph drew a one-out walk and scored on Murphy's double to right center field.
 
TCNJ got on the scoreboard with a run in the fourth inning after back-to-back singles by junior center fielder Jack O'Donnell and graduate right fielder Gianni Marano. With two outs, senior shortstop Justin Marcario and senior first baseman Zach Hochheiser drew walks, with Hochheiser's walk forcing home O'Donnell.
 
In a tense top of the seventh, the Lions' Marcario led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Robeson struck out Hochheiser, junior left fielder Tyler Provost and senior third baseman Andrew Fernandez drew walks to load the bases. Junior catcher Brian Lovaglio drove home one run with a ground out, making it a 3-2 game, before Shapley relieved Robeson. After walking senior second baseman Mike Lagravenis to load the bases, Shapley struck out O'Donnell to keep the Raptors' lead intact.
 
Rutgers-Camden immediately countered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman shortstop Chris Smith drew a one-out walk and Dubler had an infield single. Romond walked to load the bases and Joseph greeted TCNJ graduate reliever Jordan Gray with a two-run single up the middle to make it a 5-2 game.
 
The Lions put two runners on base in the ninth inning, bringing up O'Donnell as the potential tying run, but Shapley caught him looking at a third strike to start the championship celebration.
 
Robeson worked 6.2 innings of four-hit ball, walking five and striking out five, while allowing two earned runs.
 
Shapley earned his fifth save of the season with 2.1 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and three walks, while striking out three. In the four-game NJAC playoffs, he earned wins over both Kean and Montclair State before saving the title-clinching game against TCNJ.
 
Sophomore right fielder Brandon Petrick went 2-for-3 for the Scarlet Raptors, while Murphy was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Joseph went 1-for-2 with a walk, two runs and two RBIs.
 
Marcano went 2-for-4 for TCNJ.