NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark took maximum advantage of three first-inning errors by Montclair State to post a 5-4 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

The Scarlet Raiders (14-9, NJAC 6-1) scored five runs on three hits, three errors and a wild pitch in the first, then turned back several Red Hawk chances to escape with a crucial NJAC victory against the Red Hawks (11-9, NJAC 3-4).

Junior designated hitter Mike Ciaramello's two-run triple into the rightfield corner made it 4-1 before he scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch with two out by Red Hawk starter Sean Hille.

Ciaramello and junior first baseman Chris Ballester were the only Raiders with two hits as Hille and relievers Zach Brown and Dylan Papa limited Rutgers-Newark to just four singles and no runs after the first inning fiasco.

Montclair State piled up a dozen hits, but the Red Hawks stranded 11 base runners.

Junior catcher Kevin Bond, who went three for five, singled home a run in the top of the first and added two doubles while senior second baseman Andrew Himmelfarb went three for four for MSU.

Three consecutive two-out singles by sophomore designated hitter Matthew Moreno, Himmelfarb and junior shortstop Mickey McGraw pushed across three runs in the fourth for the Red Hawks. But Raider freshman leftfielder Jimmy Napolitano made a diving stab of a line drive off the bat of senior centerfielder Michael Boggi to rob MSU of two sure runs and end the rally.

Junior Connor Medler left the bases loaded in the top of the sixth to help run his record to 6-0 on the season. He scattered nine hits and struck out one while walking one before turning the ball over to junior Nick Evans to start the seventh. Evans gave up a double to Bond in the seventh and a single to Himmelfarb in the eighth before Rutgers-Newark went to sophomore closer Matt Larangera to get the final four outs.

Larangera picked up his fifth save of the season by getting a ground ball to shortstop to end the eighth before giving up only a two-out single in the ninth.

After Medler gave up a run on three singles in the top of the first, the Raiders got a lead-off walk by senior shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer.  Reitemeyer moved to second on an errant pick-off throw by Hille before senior second baseman Matt Connors reached on an infield error.  Reitemeyer scored on a single through the left side by senior centerfielder Michael DiCenso before Ballester singled to rightfield.  Connors scored from second on Ballester's single when the rightfielder mishandled the ball. A sacrifice bunt by Cassese put the runners in scoring position for Ciaramello's triple.

Rutgers-Newark visits Montclair State in Yogi Berra Stadium on Friday at 3:30 p.m. to complete the home-and-home regular-season NJAC series.