CAMDEN, N.J. (April 26, 2026) – The Rutgers University-Camden baseball team took care of business here Sunday, sweeping its final New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader of the regular season, to nail down the fifth seed in the upcoming NJAC playoffs.
 
The Scarlet Raptors defeated New Jersey City University, 7-4 and 10-7, to raise their record to 18-21 overall and 10-8 in the NJAC. They will begin defense of their 2025 NJAC title on Tuesday at the home of the fourth seed, traveling to either Kean University or Ramapo College. The opponent is yet to be determined, as Ramapo closes its regular season with a weather-delayed doubleheader on Monday against Stockton University, looking for the chance to leapfrog Kean into the third seed.
 
New Jersey City University falls to 10-26 and finishes the NJAC season at 2-16.
   
The Scarlet Raptors, batting as the visiting team in a doubleheader that was moved from NJCU to Camden due to field conditions, jumped off to a big start. The Scarlet Raptors scored two runs in the first inning and four in the second.
 
In the first inning, sophomore right fielder Gavin McCaffrey and sophomore designated hitter Jake Slusarski sandwiched singles around an out, and junior center fielder Jacob Watson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. One run scored on an RBI fielder's choice by sophomore first baseman Ryan Joseph. Slusarski scored when a  pickoff attempt on Joseph was thrown away.
 
The Raptors added four runs in the second inning on only two hits, sparked by a leadoff double from sophomore third baseman Michael McGinley. Sophomore catcher Mason Blizzard was hit by a pitch and junior left fielder Matt McAleer reached base when a fielder's choice yielded no outs. McCaffrey walked to force home a run and junior second baseman Austin Dubler added another run with a sacrifice fly. Watson delivered an RBI infield single and stole a base before a balk scored McCaffrey.
 
NJCU whittled the gap to 6-4 with single runs in the third and fourth inning and a two-run rally in the seventh, but the Scarlet Raptors tacked on an eighth-inning insurance run on an RBI single by Watson.
 
McCaffrey, Watson, sophomore first baseman Ryan Joseph, sophomore shortstop Chris Smith and McGiinley all had two hits to power the Raptors- 13-hit attack. Junior pitcher Anthony Angelo Jr. (2-2)  picked up the win, working eight innings of four-hit ball. He walked one, struck out six and allowed four runs, only three earned.
   
With the score tied, 7-7, the Scarlet Raptors scored three times in the top of the ninth inning to pull out the victory. Dubler opened the inning with a single and stole second. Two outs later, McGinley delivered a tie-breaking RBI single. Watson drew a walk as a pinch-hitter, and freshman Cameron Stepehson was inserted as a pinch runner. Senior catcher Evan Carbone followed with a two-run single.
 
NJCU had taken the lead with a two-run fourth inning before Rutgers-Camden scored three times in the fifth inning, which included an RBI triple by McCaffrey and a two-run triple by Joseph.
 
After the Gothic Knights regained the lead with two runs in the sixth inning, Rutgers-Camden bounced back with four runs in the seventh on two hits, two walks, an error and a sacrifice fly by Joseph. McGinley added an RBI ground out for the last run of the frame.
 
The 7-4 lead didn't last long, as the Gothic Knights tied the game with a three-run bottom of the seventh. Freshman designated hitter Matthew Ferber had a two-run single and sophomore right fielder Collin Elam tied the game with an RBI double.
 
Dubler and Carbon both had three hits for the Scarlet Raptors, while Joseph had three RBIs. McAleer and McGinley had two hits apiece.
 
Junior Sean Glenn (1-0) picked up his first decision of the season with 2.1 innings of one-hit shutout ball. He struck out two and didn't walk any batters.