JERSEY CITY, NJ – Senior lefthander Billy Cerruti posted a complete-game shutout in the opener before Rutgers-Newark exploded for season highs in hits and runs in the nightcap in a 10-0 and 20-5 sweep of New Jersey City in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader.

BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
Rutgers-Newark 10, New Jersey City 0
Rutgers-Newark 20, New Jersey City 5

In the opener, Cerruti (2-4) notched the fourth shutout of the season by the Scarlet Raider staff by yielding just four hits and three walks while striking out six.  He picked off two runners to give him seven picks offs for the season while running his R-N career record number to 22 pickoffs.

It was Cerruti's second straight nine-inning complete game shutout effort coming on the heels of last week's one-hit blanking of Stevens. The crafty lefty now has hurled 18 shutout innings while striking out 18 and allowing just five hits.

Junior designated hitter Mike Ciaramello went four for five with a two-run single which keyed a five-run fifth inning for the Raiders (10-7, NJAC 2-0). It was the first multiple-hit game in Scarlet & Black for the junior college transfer.

Senior centerfielder Michael DiCenso went three for four and ignited the fifth-inning rally with a lead-off double into the left centerfield gap.  Rookie leftfielder Jimmy Napolitano capped the five-run outburst with an RBI single through the middle.

Napolitano reached on an error and scored what proved to be the winning run on a single to centerfield by senior second baseman Matt Connors in the third inning.

Senior shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer doubled to set up the two-run eighth inning and drew a bases-loaded walk to spark a two-run ninth inning.

In the nightcap, junior first baseman Chris Ballester and DiCenso each had three hits and three RBIs to pace a 20-hit assault. Junior catcher Anthony Palladino also went three for five while driving in two runs and scoring twice.

The Gothic Knights (4-14, NJAC 0-2) jumped on Raider starter Connor Medler (5-0) for four runs on six hits in the third to take a 4-3 lead. But, Rutgers-Newark would score multiple runs in five of the next six innings. Medler gave up eight hits while striking out six and walking four in seven innings of work. Junior Nick Evans and sophomore closer Matt Larangera each turned in an inning of shutout relief.

Rutgers-Newark will play a non-conference game at Keystone College on Monday at 3:30 p.m.