Piscataway, NJ - Rutgers scored seven times in the bottom of the third inning en route to a 7-5 win over Hofstra Tuesday afternoon at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights collected 15 hits on the day against six Hofstra pitchers.
Hofstra slipped to 5-7 with the loss, while Rutgers improved to 5-8 on the season.
Pat Sweeney started off the big inning for Rutgers with a double down the left field line off of Pride starter Alec Eisenberg (0-2) and scored on an RBI single by Mike Carter. Carter stole second one out later and came home on a double by Brian O'Grady. Vinny Zarrillo then delivered an RBI hit for the third run of the frame. Michael Zavala was hit by a pitch and Tom Marcinczyk walked with two outs to load the bases and end Eisenberg's day.
Christian Campbell greeted Pride reliever Brian MacDonald with a two-run single to make it a 5-0 game. A passed ball allowed Marcinczyk to score and Sweeney picked up his second hit of inning to drive in Campbell with the final run of the inning.
The Pride would score single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to pull within five at 7-2. In the fourth Dalton Rouleau lead off with a double and eventually steal third before scoring on Robbie Cafiero's two-out single. In the fifth inning Eric Ferguson reached on a throwing error with two outs, advancing to third on the play. Rouleau followed with his second hit of the game, an RBI single up the middle.
But Rutgers would score twice more in the fifth, three times in the sixth and once in the seventh to put the game out of reach. The Pride would score a run in the eighth as Matt Ford singled and scored on a MacDonald double in the eighth. The Pride would strike twice more in the ninth with Eric Peterson driving home Cafiero, who had doubled, and Rouleau plating David Leiderman with a sacrifice fly.
Cafiero was on base four times in the game as he was 3-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI. Rouleau finished the day 2-4 with two RBIs. Eisenberg was charged with six runs on six hits and three walks in 2 2/3 innings.
Reed Shuttle (1-0) earned the win for Rutgers, allowing two runs on four hits over five innings. Sweeney paced the Rutgers offense, posting a 4-4 day with an RBI and two runs scored. Campbell had three RBIs for the Scarlet Knights.
The Pride hit the road once again this weekend, traveling to Furman for a three-game series Saturday and Sunday before playing at North Carolina Central Monday.
