WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (March 19, 2026) – After watching a pair of scheduled games get rained out earlier in the week at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, the Rutgers University-Camden and Saint John's University baseball teams decided to turn their scheduled Thursday game into a doubleheader.
The twinbill worked out well for the Johnnies, who swept the Scarlet Raptors, 7-2 and 13-2 to raise their record to 8-4. Rutgers-Camden fell to 6-7.
Rutgers-Camden returns to action on Friday in Davenport, Florida, with a 2:30 p.m. game against Lawrence University (Appleton, Wisconsin).
Saint John's 7, Rutgers-Camden 2 (Game 1)
The Johnnies scored five runs over the first two innings, including three in the first inning aided by a two-run home run from senior right fielder Brendan Hemr. Junior second baseman Alex Matchey added a two-run single in the second inning for Saint John's University (Collegeville, Minnesota).
Junior first baseman Justin Brooks added RBI singles in the first and fourth innings for Saint John's.
Rutgers-Camden scored in the bottom of the first inning, sparked by a leadoff double from junior center fielder
Jacob Watson. He eventually scored on a fielder's choice by sophomore right fielder
Gavin McCaffrey.
The Raptors added their other run in the fifth inning when sophomore third baseman
Will Gural singled, went to third on a double by sophomore catcher
Mason Blizzard and scored on a ground out by Watson.
Watson, sophomore designated hitter
Jake Slusarski and Blizzard had two hits apiece for the Scarlet Raptors.
Freshman starter
Gabe McCracken (1-1) took the loss, working 3.2 innings and allowing seven hits, three walks and six earned runs. He struck out four.
Junior Matthew Magnuson (2-1) earned the win with six innings of seven-hit ball. He walked one, allowed two earned runs and struck out three.
Saint John's 13, Rutgers-Camden 2 (Game 2)
After Rutgers-Camden scored a run in the top of the first inning on a McCaffrey RBI single, the Johnnies took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame on a grand slam by Hemr.
Rutgers-Camden scored its final run in the top of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Gural, but Hemr had an RBI triple in the third inning and Saint John's kept on hitting, collecting 13 runs on 12 hits, two walks and an error. Seven of the Johnnies' 12 hits went for extra bases.
For Rutgers-Camden, sophomore shortstop
Chris Smith went 2-for-3 in the team's five-hit attack.
Freshman
Anthony Alessandroni (1-1) took the loss, working four innings and allowing four hits, one walk and five runs, four earned. He struck out five.
Freshman Dylan Bloom (1-0) earned the win, allowing two earned runs, five hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out four.
