NEWARK, NJ – Freshman shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer went four for five with four RBI and sophomore third baseman Joe Furnaguera blasted a three-run homer in the first as Rutgers-Newark powered its way to a 12-4 win over FDU-Florham in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
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The Scarlet Raiders (7-8) won for the sixth time in their last eight starts, posting double-digit runs for the second game in a row behind an 18-hit attack which made an easy winner of junior lefthander Kevin Matawa. The Devils (5-7) lost their third straight game.
Matawa (3-2) scattered seven hits while striking out two and walking no one during the first five innings as the Raiders constructed a 12-1 lead. Sophomore righthander John Kuder gave up just one hit while striking out three with no walks across three innings of relief to set up junior closer Christian Diaz who struck out the side in the ninth.
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Furnaguera hammered a shot over the leftfielder fence to cap a five-run, five-hit first inning which was kept alive by two FDU infield errors.
An RBI single by Reitemeyer capped a three-run second inning. The rookie shortstop also singled home the Raiders' lone run in the fourth – after senior leftfielder Doug Ford singled and stole second and third – and ended his day with a two-run triple to left to highlight a three run fifth.
Sophomore designated hitter Anthony Yeswita went three for three with a pair of walks, scored two runs and drove in a run for Rutgers-Newark which collected 18 hits for the second time this season. The Raiders have now rapped out 38 hits and scored 19 runs in their last two games including Saturday's 17-9 romp over Whittier in California.
The Devils got consecutive singles by senior first baseman Dan Bellino (Jackson, NJ/St. Rose), junior catcher Jimmy Sheppard and sophomore shortstop Anthony Foster as they plated three runs in the sixth. FDU took advantage of two walks and a hit batter in the frame before Kuder entered the fray to coaxed a 1-2-3 double play and a fly ball to the outfield to get out of a bases-loaded, no one-out jam.
With two out in the fifth, sophomore leftfielder Matt Oliveto singled home junior second baseman Kevin Flexer, who had led off the inning with a double, to put the Devils on the board.
Rutgers-Newark starts New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Thursday at New Jersey City. Game time is 3 p.m. The Raiders are back in Riverfront Stadium on Friday, hosting defending NCAA Division III National Champion Kean in an NJAC game at 3 o'clock.
