LA VERNE, CA – Senior third baseman Joe Furnaguera led a 11-hit Rutgers-Newark assault, but the University of La Verne went through six Scarlet Raiders pitchers for a 16-9 win in the California Invitational on Ben Hines Field. 

La Verne 16, Rutgers-Newark 9

Furnaguera went three for five with a pair of RBIs and scored three times, but the Leopards (12-8) surged from behind to post 16 hits and out-score Rutgers-Newark 13-0 over the final three innings. 

Raider sophomore right-hander reliever Ryan Clark was greeted in the top of the ninth by a game-winning home run by senior third baseman Jon-Michael Hattabaugh which ignited a 7-run, 7-hit outburst. Hattabaugh, who went four for six with a double and three RBIs, capped the ninth-inning rally with an RBI single. 

Junior starter Billy Cerruti struck out six and walked five in five plus innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Senior right-hander John Kuder (2-1) replaced Cerruti with the bases loaded and no one out in the top of the sixth. The Leopards scored on a fielder's choice and a sacrifice fly before Kuder quelled the rally. 

Singles by junior leftfielder Michael Cassese, designated hitter Anthony Yeswita, Furnaguera, senior first baseman Matt Lingo and sophomore rightfielder Chris Ballester gave the Raiders a 3-0 lead in the third. 

A Furnaguera RBI triple, a Lingo RBI single and a 2-run double by junior centerfielder Michael DiCenso pushed the lead to 8-1 in the fifth after La Verne has scored on a walk, two wild pitches by Cerruti and a single. 

Furnaguera answered the Leopards' 2-run sixth with his third home run of the season – a solo shot over the left field fence. 

A 2-run homer by catcher Mike Surina followed by a walk chased Kuder with no out in the seventh. After walking the first batter he faced, sophomore reliever Nick Evans got a pop up, a fly ball and a grounder to second base to get out of the jam with Rutgers-Newark leading 9-5. 

La Verne leveled the score in the eight as the Rutgers-Newark bullpen imploded, allowing four runs on one hit while three pitchers combined to walk two and hit three batters. Raider junior ace Ryan Williamsstopped the bleeding with the bases loaded after hitting two batters, walking one and allowing a sacrifice fly. 

La Verne reliever Anthony Cerafice came on to strike out the heart of the Raider lineup against a walk to Yeswita in the bottom of the eighth before senior right-hander David Contreras retired Rutgers-Newark in order in the ninth. 

Rutgers-Newark (4-8) capped its spring break trip. The Raiders are scheduled to host John Jay Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in Riverfront Stadium.