Mike Lavenia returned to the Rutgers-Camden baseball program in 2020 after a two-year absence and added another varsity letter in 2021. During his Scarlet Raptor career, he has played in nine games, starting two, and hitting .250 with two RBIs. He owns a 1.000 career fielding percentage with six putouts in six chances, while also adding one double play.
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Academics: New Jersey Athletic Conference Academic Honorable Mention for the 2019-20 scholastic year…Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for the 2017 Fall, 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters.
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Baseball 2021: Played in five games, making one start, and hitting .222…Had two RBIs and was hit by a pitch to compile a .300 on-base percentage…Had one putout in his only defensive chance for a 1.000 fielding percentage…Collected his first collegiate RBI with a seventh-inning ground out at William Paterson (March 26), going 0-for-2 in the game as a pinch hitter/designated hitter…Went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch while starting as the Raptors’ DH against The College of New Jersey (April 30)…Played first base and went 1-for-1 with one RBI against William Paterson (May 7, Game Two), singling home a run in the eighth inning…Notched his lone putout of the season against New Jersey City (April 10, Game Two).
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Baseball 2020: Played in three games, starting one, during the short season…Went 1-for-6 (.167), but his lone hit was a big one: with the Raptors and Oneonta tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning (March 1, Game One), his leadoff pinch-hit single sparked the winning rally in Rutgers-Camden’s 6-5 victory…Started the season opener at Immaculata, going 0-for-4 with three putouts at first base…Was a defensive replacement at first base against Neumann (March 9), collecting two putouts and going 0-for-1 at the plate.
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Baseball 2017: Played in one game, going 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit single to post a batting average, slugging percentage and on-base percentage of 1.000…Had a pinch-hit single down the left field line in the ninth inning of a game against Misericordia on April 30.
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High School: Earned three varsity baseball letters and two varsity basketball letters at Middlesex High School, playing for Coaches Mike O’Donnell and Justin Nastasi…During his junior year on the baseball diamond, named All-Conference and All-Group 1 First Team…As a senior, named to the All-Division First Team and All-Conference Second Team…Honor Roll student.
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Personal: Born September 20, 1997…During his first semester at Rutgers-Camden (Fall 2016), earned Dean’s List recognition and was named to the Rutgers-Camden Athletic Director’s Honor Roll…Finance major who plans to find a good job and move down south after graduation… Mike is the son of Gary and Diana Lavenia of Middlesex.
