WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - In a dramatic comeback, Trinity College (Conn.) stunned Rutgers-Newark with a 9-8 victory at the Russ Matt Central Florida Invitational on Wednesday. The Scarlet Raiders appeared to be in control, holding an 8-0 lead entering the bottom of the eighth inning, but a resilient effort from the Bantams resulted in an unexpected win.
Rutgers-Newark grabbed an early advantage, scoring three runs in the third inning and another in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. The Scarlet Raiders extended their lead in the seventh, adding three more runs before tacking on another insurance run in the eighth, seemingly in command at 8-0.
However, Trinity College had other plans, beginning its rally with two runs in the eighth inning. The Bantams then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the ninth, capping a dramatic and improbable 9-8 comeback victory.
On the mound,
Vince Taylor was dominant for Rutgers-Newark, pitching a stellar 7.0 innings of shutout baseball. The right-hander struck out eight batters and allowed just two hits while facing 26 batters. Taylor's effort kept Trinity's offense at bay until the final frames.
Joey Santi (0.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 R) came on in relief but struggled to close out the game, taking the loss after allowing three earned runs and seven total in a brief outing. Meanwhile, Trinity's Brendan Grady (1.0 IP, 2 K) earned the win after striking out two in a perfect inning of relief.
Offensively, Rutgers-Newark's Joey Bernardo stood out, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, but the Scarlet Raiders were ultimately unable to hold onto their commanding lead. The Bantams' late-game heroics overshadowed a strong offensive performance by Rutgers-Newark, leaving them to reflect on a missed opportunity.
The loss drops Rutgers-Newark to a 7-8 record on the season. The Scarlet Raiders will look to bounce back tomorrow as they continue play at the Russ Matt Invitational closing out the tournament with a game against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. First pitch is set for 9 a.m.Â
