LITTLE FALLS, NJ – Rutgers-Newark senior right-hander Connor Medler shut down Montclair State for seven innings, then the Scarlet Raiders survived a ninth-inning scare for a 4-1 New Jersey Athletic Conference win in Yogi Berra Stadium.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Medler (4-4) struck out six, walked two and scattered eight hits in seven full innings to help the Raiders (14-11, NJAC 4-3) to a 3-1 lead.

After senior reliever Anthony Palladino breezed through the eighth inning by allowing only a 2-out single, a bunt single by sophomore leftfielder Jason McCluskey and a double by senior centerfielder Chris Ballester added an insurance run in the top of the ninth.

But after getting a strikeout to open the bottom of the ninth, senior closer Nick Evans walked the bases loaded before sophomore reliever Michael Garcia earned a save by notching a strikeout before coaxing a game-ending pop up to first base.

The Raiders got all the runs that they would need in the third inning against senior starter Zach Brown.  McCluskey opened the frame with a single through the left side before Ballester drew a walk.  Sophomore first baseman Vin Troisi dropped down a base hit bunt single to load the bases before sophomore designated hitter Owen Harshaney stroked a sacrifice fly to centerfield.  Senior third baseman Tim Miller drilled an RBI double down the leftfield line before Troisi scored the final run on an infield ground off the bat of sophomore rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano.

Miller and McCluskey had two hits apiece for Rutgers-Newark.

Medler gave up his lone run with two out in the fifth when sophomore shortstop Cody Pace walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before coming home on a double down the leftfield line by senior designated hitter Kevin Bond.

The Red Hawks (15-10, NJAC 5-2) visit Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Friday at 3:30 p.m. for the second game in the regular-season set.

Rutgers-Newark hosts Rutgers-Camden in the stadium on Saturday at noon in an NJAC doubleheader.