CHESTER, Penn. (March 31, 2026) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team staged a big rally in a non-conference game here Tuesday, but just when the Scarlet Raptors fought back to tie the game, Widener University answered the comeback attempt.
 
The Pride scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after Rutgers-Camden had rallied from a six-run deficit to tie the game, and Widener hung on to post a 12-9 victory in a non-conference game.
 
Rutgers-Camden, which had posted a 19-7 home win over Widener on March 11, fell to 10-10, snapping a two-game winning streak. Widener improved to 10-11.
 
Widener jumped out to a 9-3 lead through four innings, aided by three-run innings in the third and fourth. The Pride received a three-run home run from junior first baseman Kevin Bukowski in the fourth inning.
 
Rutgers-Camden stormed back with three runs in the fifth inning, two in the sixth and one in the seventh to tie the game at 9-9.
 
In the fifth inning, the Scarlet Raptors used a walk to junior catcher Julian Gonzalez and a single by sophomore first baseman Michael McGinley to set up a three-run home run by junior center fielder Jacob Watson.
 
The two-run sixth featured a two-run single by sophomore shortstop Chris Smith, while junior left fielder Matt McAleer singled to lead off the seventh inning. He eventually scored the tying run on a double play.
 
Just when the Scarlet Raptors had worked their way back into the game, however, Widener scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on five hits, including a tie-breaking home run by senior left fielder Ryan Bauerle and RBI singles from senior designated hitter Brendan Raven and senior second baseman Myles Calderbank.
 
Bauerle led the 15-hit Widener attack with a 3-for-4 day at the top of the lineup, scoring three runs and driving home one. He finished the day one double shy of a cycle.
 
Rutgers-Camden's 15-hit attack included three hits apiece from Watson, Smith and junior second baseman Austin Dubler, with Watson collecting three RBIs and Smith adding two. McAleer added two hits.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to NJAC play on Thursday at The College of New Jersey.