Box Score

CENTER VALLEY, PA – An early four-run lead by Rutgers-Newark did not hold up to a 16-hit assault by DeSales in a 13-7 non-conference loss.

Senior leftfielder Matt Larangera and freshman third baseman Brian Kokos notch two hits apiece to pace the Scarlet Raider (6-14) attack but the Bulldogs (15-5) burned through five Rutgers-Newark pitchers to post their sixth straight victory.

Rutgers-Newark hammered DeSales senior starter Colby Pacillo for four runs on four hits in the top of the first with junior shortstop Kevin Olah and Kokos contributing RBI doubles to left center field.  Freshman centerfielder Ryan Macfarlane opened the game with a single and scored on Olah's double.  Sophomore designated hitter Graham Commesso and junior rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano walked around Olah's hit before Larangera singled to centerfield to make it 3-0.  A fielder's choice ground ball to second off the bat of junior catcher Steve Tamayo plated the fourth run.

But the Bulldogs got back two in the bottom of the frame without getting the ball out of the infield against senior starter Michael Schneider (0-3) on a hit batter, an infield single, a pair of stolen bases and a pair of infield grounders to make it 4-2.  The lead dwindled to 4-3 in the second when Schneider again hit the lead-off batter who scored after an infield grounder and a two-out single.

Rutgers-Newark failed to chase Pacillo in the third inning, getting just one run on a bases-loaded, no-out walk by Larangera to make it 5-3. Commesso opened the inning with a walk before Kokos singled through the left side and Napolitano was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Larangera.  But Pacillo struck out Tamayo before getting junior first baseman Vin Troisi and Macfarlane to pop up to escape further damage.

DeSales strung together five consecutive singles with one out in the bottom of the third to chase Schneider with junior left fielder Charles Dennis's two-run single through the middle capping the spree and boosting the Bulldogs into the lead for the first time at 6-5.  Senior Tyler Kwiatek came on to get a ground ball out to third before getting out of the inning with a strikeout.

Kwiatek carried the Raiders into the sixth inning before the Bulldogs scored four runs after loading the bases without an out.  A two-run single through the right side by first baseman Brian Mauro highlighted the outburst to give DeSales a commanding 10-5 lead.

The teams traded runs in the seventh.  Napolitano reached first on an infield error and moved to third on a double by Larangera before scoring on a two-out passed ball.  But Mauro stroked an RBI single against Raider junior reliever Jonathan Dominguez to make it 11-6 in the bottom half of the inning.  A two-run double by right fielder Mark Fuse against reliever Mark Bruscino pushed the Bulldog lead to 13-6 in the eighth.

Mauro and Fuse each went three for five to spearhead the Bulldog offense.  Mauro drove in four runs.

The Raiders tacked on the final run in the ninth on when freshman pinch hitter Cameron Dias lofted a sacrifice fly into foul territory down the right field line to plate Nick Gencarelli who was aboard after drawing a walk to lead off the inning.

Rutgers-Newark hosts The College of New Jersey in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday before travelling to Ewing on Friday to complete the New Jersey Athletic Conference home-and-away season series.