NEWARK, N.J. | The Rutgers University-Newark baseball team fell to visiting New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) foe Ramapo College this afternoon at Weequahic Park, 6-1. The Roadrunners improve to 21-11 (11-4 NJAC) while the Scarlet Raiders dropped to 12-17 (6-9 NJAC).

Rutgers-Newark was led by Connor Clare offensively as the junior went 1-for-3 with a run. Luke Magliaro chipped in another hit while Kevin Tamsula contributed the lone RBI.

Starter Mike Matusz dropped to 2-1 on the season. He cruised through four, scattering four hits, but struggled in the fifth and finished with five plus innings allowing 10 hits, six runs (four earned), and walking two while picking up one strikeout. David Vasquez, Anthony Rosoline, and Marcus James combined for four innings of perfect relief with five strikeouts between them.

R-N returns to action tomorrow at Ramapo with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

The Raiders struck first in the bottom of the second. Clare led the frame off by ripping a double over the third baseman's head and down the left field line. Chris Suleski stepped up next and fought back from an 0-2 count to lift a deep fly ball to center. Although the ball was caught at the fence, he did succeed in moving Clare over to third. Tamsula finished the job when he skied a ball out towards the right field fence, allowing Clare to cross the dish standing up with the first run of the game.

Unfortunately, the Roadrunners put up a five-spot in the fifth on four hits, a walk, hit batter, and an error to claim a 5-1 lead halfway through the afternoon.

Ramapo tacked on a run in the sixth to drive Matusz from the contest and that would be more than enough for their starter Kevin Stewart. Stewart was masterful on the mound, hurling eight dominant innings while conceding just one run on two hits and striking out 11. Kyle Haag closed out the contest as he worked around a walk to secure the win.

Philip Mahlik led the visitors offensively with a 3-for-5 day in the leadoff spot, scoring a run and contributing an RBI. Kyle Lisa went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs while Matt Carovillano had a team-best two RBI.