NEWARK, NJ – Freshman righthander Michael Schneider settled down after a shaky first inning as Rutgers-Newark cruised to a 7-2 win over Wilkes in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

Rutgers-Newark 7, Wilkes 2

Schneider (2-0) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in the top of the first, but he allowed just two hits and one walk over the next five innings as the Scarlet Raider bats responded with 12 hits in the non-conference victory.

Senior John Kuder turned in two full innings of shutout relief, giving up two hits while striking out two and walking one, before sophomore Ryan Clark allowed a hit against a strikeout in the bottom of the ninth to finish the evening.

Junior second baseman Matt Connors went two for four with an RBI double in the 3-run fourth inning and scored three times for Rutgers-Newark (16-15). He also stole a base and was in the middle of a 1-4-3 double play which ended the Colonels' first inning.

Senior designated hitter Anthony Yeswita was two for three with and RBI single to cap a 2-run rally in the third and a run-producing double in the sixth to finish the scoring.

Junior shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer, who went two for four, singled to plate Connors and start the second inning rally. Senior third baseman Joe Furnaguera went two for three to give the Raiders four players with multiple hits.

Junior rightfielder Al Clocker was the only Colonel with two hits and he added a stolen base. Wilkes slipped to 10-16.

Rutgers-Newark hosts William Paterson in Skylands Park in Augusta, NJ, at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday in a New Jersey Athletic Conference contest before travelling to New Jersey City for another league game on Friday.

Saturday, Rutgers-Newark hosts The College of New Jersey in an NJAC twinbill at noon at the Diamond Nation in Flemington, NJ.