May 19, 2016 Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers baseball fell behind early and could not recover in a 5-1 loss to Northwestern Thursday at Bainton Field. The defeat eliminates the Scarlet Knights from earning a spot in the Big Ten playoffs.
In the first conference game between the teams, the Wildcats (14-38, 6-16) struck first with a two-run home run by Joe Hoscheit with two outs in the first. NU added another in the third on an RBI double by Connor Lind to go up 3-0.
RU (26-27, 8-14) responded with run in the fifth to get back in the game. Freshman Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.) worked a walk and stole second to setup the scene. Then with two outs, junior Gaby Rosa (Perth Amboy, N.J.) laced an RBI single up the middle. Senior R.J. Devish (Beachwood, N.J.) followed that with a single of his own and stole second to put the tying runs in scoring position. However, Northwestern starter Reed Mason induced a foul out to escape the jam.
In the seventh, Mat Jones connected for a two-run long ball to put the visitors up four. That would prove to be enough insurance for Mason (4-7), who countered with two scoreless frames after giving up a run in the fifth to earn the win. The left-hander permitted three hits and struck out four.
The Scarlet Knights threatened in the ninth when both junior Tom Marcinczyk (Middlesex, N.J.) and freshman Jawuan Harris (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) worked walks to start the inning. Tyler Lass entered for NU at that point with a line-drive double play, walk and strikeout to end the game. It was his third save of the year.
Senior Howie Brey (Middletown, N.J.) (6-5) made his final start for the Scarlet Knights and went 6.2 innings with five runs allowed. The left-hander struck out six in the outing. For his career, Brey finishes tied for third in program history with 206 strikeouts, fourth with 291.1 innings pitched and tied for eighth with 18 victories. He worked 100.1 innings as a senior with 84 punchouts, ranked fifth and third in a single season in the school record books.
Junior Christian Campbell (Sayreville, N.J.) came out of the bullpen and worked 2.1 scoreless innings, including striking out three batters looking in the eighth. In addition, Devish threw out four runners on the bases throughout the game, with two caught stealings and two attempting to advance on pitches in the turf.
The Scarlet Knights will look to even the series in game two set for Friday at 1 p.m. BTN Plus will have the coverage from Bainton Field.
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