Box Score

MAHWAH, NJ – Rutgers University-Newark junior Andrew Nasti lost a pitchers' duel to Ramapo junior Walker Larson in a 2-1 New Jersey Athletic Conference battle on Jeff Maund Field.
 
Nasti (3-5) scattered six singles while giving up two walks against one strikeout in his complete-game showing.  But Larson (4-2) yielded just four base hits while striking out five and walking two in nine full innings for the Roadrunners (18-9-1, NAJC 6-5-1) who fell 3-2 on Thursday in Riverfront Stadium.
 
Sophomore shortstop Ryan MacFarlane manufactured the Scarlet Raiders' lone run with his legs in the sixth inning.  After leading off the inning by beating out an infield single, he stole second ahead of a fly ball out by senior first baseman Vin Troisi.  MacFarlane then stole third and came home when the catcher's throw went into left field.
 
Ramapo scored twice in the fourth inning after Nasti hit the first batter and walked the second.  After junior designated hitter Chris Werr bunted the runners into scoring position, junior rightfielder Scott Peschiani delivered a sacrifice fly to left field to break the ice.  Junior leftfielder Kevin Kelly singled through the middle to bring home what proved to be the winning run.
 
Rutgers-Newark left runners at second base in the first, fourth, seventh and ninth innings, but Larson always pitched out of trouble.
 
The loss left the Raiders a game out of sixth place in the NJAC race with six games remaining.  The top six teams earn berths in the 10-team league's championship tournament.
 
Rutgers-Newark battles Richard Stockton (14-14, NJAC 4-8) in Galloway, NJ, in an NJAC doubleheader Saturday at 11:30 a.m.  The College of New Jersey (16-12, NJAC 5-7) visits Rutgers-Camden (20-8-1, NJAC 9-3) at the same time to set up a potential move up the rankings for the Raiders or the Ospreys – or both.