FLEMINGTON, NJ – Rutgers-Newark juniors Billy Cerruti and Ryan Williams paced the Scarlet Raiders to a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep of The College of New Jersey, 4-0 and 8-3, in Healthquest Park. 

Rutgers-Newark 4, TCNJ 0
Rutgers-Newark 8, TCNJ 3

In the opener, Cerruti (2-4) got all but the last batter in the shutout win, yielding seven hits while walking four and striking out three. Senior closer Michael Hansen came on to get a bases-loaded fly ball in the bottom of the ninth to preserve the shutout and the win. 

TCNJ ace Connor Henderson (6-1) gave up just five hits while walking four and striking out three. 

Senior third baseman Joe Furnaguera had an RBI double down the leftfield line in the third inning before senior first baseman Matt Lingo hammered a home run over the right center field wall to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead. 

In the nightcap, Williams (2-4) scattered six hits and allowed two runs while striking out nine and walking just two in seven full innings.  Senior John Kuder pitched a shutout eighth before Hansen closed for the second time on the day, yielding a run on two hits.

The Raiders exploded for seven runs on five hits and three walks by TCNJ starter Greg Spatz (4-3) in the first inning, sending 11 batters to the plate.  After giving up a two-out solo home run to Furnaguera in the second inning, Spatz settled down to take the game into the sixth inning.  But, the damage had already been done.

Junior second baseman Matt Connors paced the Raiders' 12-hit attack by going four for five with a pair of singles to begin and end the first-inning outburst.

In the first, Connors and junior centerfielder Michael DiCenso singled ahead of walks to junior shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer, senior designated hitter Anthony Yeswita and Lingo.  A fielders choice off the bat of freshman leftfielder Robert Kistner brought home the third run before sophomore catcher Anthony Palladino and Connors wrapped RBI singles around a run-producing double by sophomoe rightfielder Chris Ballester.

Rutgers-Newark (18-17, NJAC 8-6) desperately needed the wins after losing back-to-back NJAC games to William Paterson and New Jersey City on Thursday and Friday.  The Lions (15-17, NJAC 8-7) have now lost four straight league games in three days to fall back into the pack in the race for a slot in the six-team NJAC Championship Tournament.

Rutgers-Newark hosts Penn State Abington at 7 p.m. in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Tuesday before entering its final set of four NJAC games to end the regular season.