Box Score

ORANGE, CA – Three Rutgers University-Newark pitchers gave up just four hits, but Chapman took a 5-4 win in Hart Park.

Raider senior righthander Michael Garcia went six full innings, allowing five runs on four hits while walking five and striking out six. Sophomore lefthander Billy Taylor struck out the first two batters he faced in a 1-2-3 seventh inning stint followed by freshman Chas Bohannon's three up, three down eighth inning relief effort to keep the Raiders just a run back.

Rutgers-Newark owned the lead briefly in the sixth when junior third baseman Nick Gencarelli delivered a 2-run single through the middle, but the Panthers bounced back with three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-3 lead.

Sophomore third baseman Tyler Cook stroked a 1-out solo home run in the bottom of the sixth to knot things at 3-3.  A walk and a hit batter set the stage for an RBI single to right field by sophomore catcher David Basen.  Senior second baseman Eddie Aguayo, who was aboard after getting hit by a pitch, scored from third on a fielder's choice to put the Raiders down by two.

The Raiders bounced back with a run in the top of the seventh when sophomore centerfielder Ryan MacFarlane and senior first baseman Vin Troisi singled ahead of a fielder's choice ground ball off the bat of senior shortstop Kevin Olah which gave Rutgers-Newark runners on the corners with one away.  Olah's grounder chased Panther sophomore starter Braden Riddle.  Sophomore reliever Ben Vietze uncorked a wild pitch to plate MacFarlane and then walked senior rightfielder Jimmy Napolitano before settling down to get the final two outs of the inning.

Panther senior closer Taber Watson picked up a save by yielding only a 1-out walk to Troisi in the ninth.

The Panthers constructed a 2-0 led during the first four innings.  Senior centerfielder Connor Battaglia singled, stole second and scored on a single to left field by senior leftfielder Andrew Carbajal in the second.  In the fourth, Cook walked, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an infield grounder.

The Raiders got on the board in the fifth inning when MacFarlane singled with two out, stole second and came home on a double by Troisi.

Troisi went three for four with a double while MacFarlane was two for four, scored twice and stole a base to lead the Raiders' 7-hit attack.

Rutgers-Newark (3-9) closes out its spring break trip to California with three games at Occidental College on Saturday and Sunday.  The Raiders and Tigers (9-11) square off in a doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m. on Anderson Field.  The teams will play a single game on Sunday at the same time and place.