NEWARK, NJ – Rutgers-Newark right-handers Kyle Van Vliet and Connor Medler handcuffed New Jersey City for a 4-0 and 4-2 sweep in the New Jersey Athletic Conference openers for each squad in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
Rutgers-Newark 4, New Jersey City 0
Rutgers-Newark 4, New Jersey City 2

IN THE OPENER, Van Vliet (5-1) posted his second shutout and fourth complete game in seven starts by yielding just six singles and no walks while striking out nine.

In a pitchers' duel, Van Vliet and Gothic Knight senior Nelson Maldonado each carried a shutout into the seventh before an infield error opened the door for the Raiders (11-7, NJAC 2-0).

After an error by the shortstop put senior third baseman Tim Miller on first to lead off the seventh, sophomore rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano lined a double into left centerfield to give the Raiders the only run that they would need.  Freshman second baseman Andrew Nasti singled to plate Napolitano with an insurance run.

In the eighth, singles by sophomore first baseman Vin Troisi and Miller were followed by walks to Napolitano and senior catcher Anthony Palladino to push across one run and set the stage for a fielder's choice RBI ground ball off the bat of sophomore shortstop Kevin Olah as Rutgers-Newark tacked on two more.

Napolitano and Nasti had two hits apiece to lead the Raiders' 7-hit attack.

IN THE NIGHTCAP, Medler (3-3) won his third straight by scattering seven hits while striking out seven and walking no one in eight full innings of work before turning the game over to senior closer Nick Evans. 

Evans posted his fifth save of the season by sending New Jersey City (8-11, NJAC 0-2) down in order in the ninth.

Rutgers-Newark jumped on NJCU starter Wendell Rodriguez (2-3) for all of its runs on five hits in the first inning.

Senior centerfielder Chris Ballester, who went three for four, opened the game with the first of his two doubles before Troisi singled ahead of an RBI double to left centerfield by Napolitano.  Sophomore designated hitter Owen Harshaney tripled to right centerfield with two out to plate Napolitano before scoring on a single by freshman shortstop Matt Goldberg.

Harshaney, a tri-captain, ripped the triple in his first at bat since last spring's California trip.  He sat out the remainder of the 2011 season and the first 17 games of this season with injuries before returning to the lineup with a bang.

After the first-inning outburst, Ballester singled in the second and doubled in the fourth for the only other hits against Rodriguez.

Medler gave up a lead-off home run to freshman first baseman Alex Weinstein in the second before a single and a pair of Raider errors gave the Gothic Knights a second run in the fifth.

Rutgers-Newark hosts Keystone College in a non-conference game in the stadium on Monday at 3:30 p.m.