Ninth-Inning Rally Falls Short as Rutgers is Edged at Monmouth 6-5

Media Release April 2

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Down, 6-4, Rutgers rallied with a run in the ninth and came 90-feet short of tying it up before Monmouth escaped with a 6-5 victory over the Scarlet Knights in NCAA Baseball action at MU Baseball Complex Wednesday afternoon.

Facing the two-run deficit and down to their final three outs, the Scarlet Knights (8-15) rallied. Senior Vic Cegles (Phoenix, Ariz.) reached on an infield error and Donny Callahan (Sparta, N.J.)Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) brought in one run with a sacrifice fly to deep left-center field to make it 6-5. The Hawks (9-8) decided to turn to reliever Brett Brach with the heart of the Rutgers lineup due up and MU clinging to a one-run lead. A Tom Edwards (West Caldwell, N.J.) groundout to first pushed the Scarlet Knights\’ tying run within 90 feet of home, but Brach got Vinnie Sangemino (Nutley, N,J.) to strike out to end the game. followed with a single before Monmouth closer Justin Esposito moved both runners into scoring position with a wild pitch. Sophomore

In a game that saw 12 different pitchers combined, Rutgers was forced to use seven different hurlers. Starter Tony Wargo (New Providence, N.J.) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first and was replaced by freshman Dale Hering (Montgomery, N.J.) midway through the second.

Monmouth loaded the bases again in the frame, this time with nobody retired. The Hawks scored their first run courtesy of a Wargo wild pitch. After re-loading the bases, Wargo was relieved by Hering, marking the righty\’s collegiate debut. Hering\’s first batter, Ryan Terry, gave Monmouth its second run with a single through the left side. The Hawks scored two more runs on a hit batsman and a fielder\’s choice before Hering was replaced by Matt Patterson (Passaic, N.J.). Patterson ended the frame with a strikeout to the first batter he faced.

A pair of singles by Vic Cegles (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Dan Betteridge (Sewell, N.J.) put runners on first and third for the Scarlet Knights with one out in the fifth and Tom Edwards (West Caldwell, N.J.) drove in RU\’s first run of the game with a line-drive single to right field. After a personnel change for both sides sent Andy McDonnell to the mound and Sangemino to the plate, RU loaded the bases when the Scarlet Knight pinch hitter drew a walk. Jarred Jimenez (Monroe, N.J.) tied it up on one swing with a bases-clearing triple to the gap in left-center field.

With the score tied at 4-4, reliever Billy Murphy (Cranford, N.J.) went out for his third inning of work in the sixth. A pair of walks and a passed ball put Monmouth\’s Kyle Higgins 90 feet from scoring the go-ahead run. The Scarlet Knights turned to Ryan Beard (Point Pleasant, N.J.) on the mound and Beard got Andy Meyers to hit into a fielder\’s choice, but Higgins crossed home plate as MU re-gained the advantage. The Hawks threatened for more in the inning, but Beard got an inning-ending double play.

Higgins used a two-out single to left field in the seventh to drive home a sixth run and give Monmouth a two-run cushion.

The run would prove to be crucial as the Hawks were able to hold off the Scarlet Knights\’ late rally for the narrow victory.

Nick Vallillo (1-0) earned the win in three innings of relief work for Monmouth, while Murphy (0-1) was charged with the loss, despite two solid innings of relief work for Rutgers. Brach put the clamps on the RU rally for his second save of the season.

The victory gave Monmouth its first win over Rutgers since 2002, ending a seven-game winning streak for the Scarlet Knights over the Hawks.

Rutgers travels to South Bend, Indiana on Thursday for a three-game series with Notre Dame this weekend. The Scarlet Knights and Irish will open the series with a 5:00 p.m. game on Friday.