May 1, 2015 Box Score
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Rutgers baseball was tripped up, 8-1, in its series opener at Penn State Friday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. It was the first conference meeting between the teams since 1991.
Game two of the set is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Saturday will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
For the Scarlet Knights, junior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) went 3-for-3 with an RBI, while sophomore Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) reached base three times on two singles and a walk. The outfielder has made it safely on in 37 of his last 38 games played. In addition, senior Joe D'Annunzio (Scotch Plains, N.J.) singled in his first two plate appearances, as RU totaled nine hits in the game.
After each side went down scoreless in the first seven half innings, Penn State (15-26, 3-12) broke through with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Greg Guers started the scoring with a solo home run and the hosts continued with two more hits and walks to tack on three more.
Rutgers (15-29-1, 5-11) made it a three-run game with one in the sixth. Marcinczyk reached on a leadoff single and eventually made it to scoring position with two down. Devish then battled to a full count and laced a single the opposite way for an RBI.
However, the Nittany Lions plated four insurance runs after the seventh-inning stretch to build their advantage. The inning included three hits and two walks.
Junior Mark McCoy (Barnegat, N.J.) (2-7) put out four scoreless innings, but took the loss with the runs allowed in the fourth. The left-hander struck out six in the outing. Sophomore Max Herrmann (Rutherford, N.J.) was effective out of the bullpen with no runs permitted in the eighth.
Nick Hedge (2-6) collected the win with one run surrendered over six innings, with Jack Anderson pitching the last three for the save. Penn State also had nine hits offensively.
The Scarlet Knights will look to even the series with junior Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) set to make the start on the mound on Saturday. The left-hander beat Seton Hall last time out with seven innings pitched.
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