Box Score

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA – Rutgers-Newark pounded out 14 hits but could not hold onto an early 5-0 lead as Frostburg State rallied for two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 10-9 win in the Floyd B. Wilcox Memorial Tournament at the Ty Cobb Ballpark.

Junior shortstop Kevin Olah went for four five with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored, but his fielding bobble to start the bottom of the ninth set the wheels in motion for the loss after the Bobcats had handed Rutgers-Newark the lead in the top of the frame.

Frostburg State survived five errors, including two in the top of the ninth which staked the Raiders to a 9-8 lead, before freshman shortstop Ryan McGuigan's game-ending 2-out, 2-run single against senior closer Matt Larangera. 

The Bobcats' second error of the ninth inning allowed pinch runner Matt Goldberg to score from third with two outs and the bases loaded.  FSU junior closer Kenny Georgius entered the game to get first baseman Vin Troisi to pop up to third before an error on the first baseman allowed Goldberg to post the go-ahead run.

Raider senior starter Kyle Van Vliet went seven full innings, striking out six and walking three while allowing five runs on nine hits before departing with an 8-5 lead.

Junior catcher Christian Kasa ripped a 2-run, 2-out single to ignite a 4-run rally in the top of the first.  Following a Bobcat infield error, freshman third baseman Brian Kokos and junior designated hitter Ryan Maloney delivered the RBI singles to plate a pair of unearned runs.

The Raiders (3-2) tacked on another unearned run in the second when Olah doubled and junior rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano lofted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Troisi who was aboard following an infield error.

Frostburg put together four straight singles against Van Vliet to start the second inning before the righthander escaped further damage to maintain a 5-2 lead.

In the fourth, freshman first baseman Gerry Patrizio doubled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman leftfielder Ryan McFarlane and scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Troisi to up the Raider advantage to 6-2.

Bobcat catcher Garrett Price opened the bottom of the fifth with a double and scored on an infield grounder to slice the Rutgers-Newark lead to 6-3.

A 2-out, 2-run double by third baseman Danny Morris, who committed three of the Bobcat errors, sliced the Raider lead to 6-5 in the seventh, but Van Vliet got a ground ball to second base to end the inning.

Bunt singles by Macfarlane and Napolitano sandwiched base hits by Troisi and Olah to start the Raider eighth inning.  Kasa's sacrifice fly to centerfield made the score 8-5, but Frostburg was not finished.

Senior reliever Tyler Kwiatek yielded three runs on three hits and a hit batter – all with two outs – in the bottom of the eighth to level the score and deny Van Vliet a decision for the third time in as many games this season.  A 2-run double by leftfielder Rob Jennings capped the rally.

The silver lining for the Raiders was their 14-hit explosion with Kokos and Maloney collecting two hits apiece.  Kasa drove in three runs.

Rutgers-Newark takes on host Hampden-Sydney at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Franklin & Marshall at 11 o'clock on Sunday to complete the tournament.  Junior righthander Michael Garcia is slated to get the starting assignment.