Box Score

MAHWAH, NJ – Sophomore right-hander Andrew Nasti hurled a complete-game four-hitter as Rutgers-Newark shocked nationally-ranked Ramapo, 5-1, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Jeff Maund Field.

Nasti (2-2) struck out four and walked no one in handling a Roadrunner squad which entered the contest batting .319 and averaging 5.74 runs per game.  Ramapo (21-6-1, NJAC 6-4-1) is ranked 14th by D3Baseball.com and 20th in the ABCA Coaches poll.

Junior rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano scored twice for the Raiders while collecting two hits, including a double, and stealing a base.  Sophomore catcher Chris Schultz went two for four with a double and a run scored while rookie leftfielder Michael Murray drove in two runs with single in the third inning and a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

The Raiders led wire-to-wire after walks to junior first baseman Vin Troisi and Napolitano with one away in the first set up a wild pick-off throw by the Ramapo catch to bring in the initial run.

In the third, Napolitano led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a two-out single to right by Murray to make it 2-0.

Ramapo touched Nasti for an unearned run in the fourth following an inning-opening fielding error and back-to-back two-out two singles.  But he allowed just two singles and put a man aboard by hitting him with a pitch over the final five innings.  Twice the Raiders turned double plays to erase the baserunner.

Schultz doubled to lead off the fourth , moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Gerry Patrizio and scored on an infield error to give Rutgers-Newark a two-run lead.

Back-to-back two-out singles by freshman shortstop Ryan Macfarlane and Troisi put runners on the corners and set up a second wild pick-off attempt by the Roadrunners to make it 4-1.

The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Raiders (8-23, NJAC 3-8) while snapping a four-game winning spree for the Roadrunners.

Ramapo comes to Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium on Friday at 3:30 p.m. to complete the regular-season home-and away series.  Rutgers-Newark hosts Richard Stockton in an NJAC twin bill on Saturday at noon in the stadium.