Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers baseball used an all-around attack to win its home opener, 11-3, Wednesday at Bainton Field. It was the eighth consecutive home-opening victory for the Scarlet Knights and 14th in the past 15 years. The March 2 date marked the earliest home game in program history.

On the mound, freshman Serafino Brito (Oakland, N.J.) (1-1) excelled in his first career start, allowing two earned runs over six-plus innings to register the win. The right-hander struck out four and permitted no walks in the 87-pitch outing. Following up, junior Ryan Fleming (Churchville, Pa.) retired all nine batters faced in three innings for his first career save. The left-hander racked up three strikeouts.



Fifth-year senior Chris Suseck (Flemington, N.J.) led all players with five RBIs, including a three-run home run, in a 3-for-5 outing, while freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) broke through for four hits, four stolen bases, two runs and his first career RBI. The four steals were the most for a Scarlet Knight since Graig Badger had that many versus Princeton on April 15, 2004.

Continuing his production as the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) scored three times with two walks and a hit. In addition, sophomore Milo Freeman (Millburn, N.J.) collected two hits and two batted in, as 10 different Scarlet Knights totaled 16 hits on the day.

After Brito sat down the side in order to start the game, Rutgers (3-4) jumped out with three quick runs in its first plate appearance. Devish reached on error to start and moved up on a single by Suseck. Next up, junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) lofted a high drive off the base of the wall in left field for an RBI double. Freeman then came through with a two-run single up the middle to give the hosts a quick 3-0 advantage. It was the first time the team scored in the initial inning this season.

It would stay that way until the fifth when RU broke the game open with five more runs. Harris led off with a double to right-center and promptly stole third, with Devish drawing a walk. Suseck brought everyone home with a high shot to left for his first long ball of the season and fourth for Rutgers overall. Following a pair of outs, fifth-year senior John Jennings (Berkeley Heights, N.J.) singled to keep the inning alive. Freshman Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.) then lifted a fly ball to left that was misplayed allowing him to come all the way around and making it 8-0.

The Leopards (1-4) would dent the scoreboard with a run in the fifth, but the Scarlet Knights responded with one of their own. Harris started it again with a single and stole both second and third. Suseck would drive him in with a sacrifice fly.

The final two runs for RU would come via an RBI single by Suseck in the seventh and through a run-scoring hit by Harris in the eighth. Junior Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) setup the last score with a double.

For Lafayette, Trevor Houck (0-1) took the loss on the mound with five earned runs permitted over 3.2 innings. Wednesday marked the 99th all-time meeting between the teams, with Rutgers now claiming 69 victories.

RU, winners of three of the last four, will next head back on the road to start a three-game series at Old Dominion on Friday. It will be the 20th consecutive season facing off against the Monarchs.

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