Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WHITTIER, CA – Rutgers University-Newark rallied to tie Whittier in the in the final inning of game one of a doubleheader only to fall twice to the Poets, 7-5 and 7-3.

IN GAME ONE, the Scarlet Raiders knotted the score at 5-5 on a pair of infield errors in the top of the seventh only to see Whittier senior third baseman Julian Barzilli deliver a walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the frame.

Senior shortstop Kevin Olah staked the Raiders to a 4-3 lead in the top of the third inning with a 3-run home run to center field, but the Poets notched runs in the bottom of the third and fourth innings against  Rutgers-Newark freshman starter Rafael Totesautt to regain the lead.

In the seventh, the Raiders took advantage of two Whittier errors to level the score.  Junior third baseman Nick Gencarelli reach on an error by the first baseman to lead off the inning before being sacrifice bunted to second by freshman catcher Josh Cote.  Junior Jason McCluskey was running for  Gencarelli when junior Rowland Goodman drew a pinch-hit walk.  On a ground ball by MacFarlane to third base, Goodman was forced at second base but a wild throw to third allowed McCluskey to score the tying run.

But the joy was short-lived as freshman reliever Chas Bohannon issued a 1-out walk to freshman second baseman Graham Pimm before  Barzilli hammered the game-winning homer to left field.

Senior rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano pace the Raiders' 6-hit attack with a pair of singles while Gencarelli and sophomore designated hitter Michael Murray each doubled against sophomore Nick Garcia who worked the first 6-1/3 innings for the Poets.

IN GAME TWO, Rutgers-Newark jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on an RBI double by sophomore second baseman Gerry Patrizio and a single by MacFarlane.

But the Poets (14-8) went ahead for keeps with a 6-run outburst in the third against MacFarlane (0-1) who lasted 4-2/3 innings in his first career appearance on the mound. 

MacFarlane, who moved from the mound to the designated hitter slot in the fifth, went three for three with a double and a run scored in the sixth inning.  Senior first baseman Vin Troisi collected three hits and an RBI for the Raiders.

Rutgers-Newark (3-8) visits Chapman University (13-8) on Friday at 7 p.m. (PDT) before finishing its spring break trip with three games against Occidental on Saturday and Sunday.