EWING, NJ – Home runs by junior catcher Christian Kasa and senior centerfielder Chris Ballester ignited Rutgers-Newark in a 10-8 win over The College of New Jersey in the opening game of a doubleheader split.  The Lions (15-11, NJAC 3-3) took the second game, 9-5, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference twinbill.

BOX SCORES & PLAY-BY-PLAY
Rutgers-Newark 10, TCNJ 8
TCNJ 9, Rutgers-Newark 5

IN THE OPENER, Kasa's 2-run home run to centerfield woke up a dormant Scarlet Raider attack which had scored just three runs in the previous 23 innings.  Rutgers-Newark (13-11, NJAC 3-3), which posted 15 hits in the game, collected six in the breakout inning to chase Lion starter Rob Graber.

Ballester, who had an RBI double in the sixth-inning explosion, pounded a game-winning 3-run home run to right center field in seventh to stake the Raiders to a 10-4 lead.

Junior righthander Kyle Van Vliet (6-1) got the win by scattering seven hits while striking out two and walking two before departing after five full innings.  Senior Anthony Palladino blanked the Lions for two innings on one hit before TCNJ rallied to make it a nail-biter.

Lion rightfielder Mike Murphy ripped a 2-run triple in the eighth against junior reliever Michael Schneider.  Senior closer Nick Evans needed a double-play to help him get out of the ninth as he allowed two runs on four hits.

IN THE NIGHTCAP, the Lions rallied from a 3-1 deficit behind junior righthander Robert Schneider who struck out six and walked two while allowing eight hits and three runs in 7-1/3 innings.

Ballester went three for five with an RBI double, an RBI single and two runs scored to pace the Raiders' 11-hit attack.  Senior third baseman Tim Miller went two for three with a sacrifice fly in the 2-run first and an RBI single to cap the 2-run ninth.

Sophomore leftfielder Owen Harshaney, who went two for two in the opener, had an RBI double in the first inning to give him five doubles in the last six games.

Junior righthander Matt Larangera (3-4) took the loss, giving up six runs on 11 hits while striking out three and walking two in 5-1/3 innings.

Rutgers-Newark takes on Montclair State in a home-and-home NJAC series on Thursday and Friday.  The Raiders visit Yogi Berra Stadium on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. before the Red Hawks come to Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Friday at the same time.

The Raiders host Rutgers-Camden in an NJAC doubleheader in the stadium on Saturday at noon.