Baseball Holds Down Florida Gulf Coast, 4-1

Sunday, March 17

Fort Myers, Fla.

11:00 AM

Rutgers University

5-11

Florida Gulf Coast

13-6

Rutgers

FGCU

Photo by: Mark Brown

Mar 17 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Five pitchers combine to strand 16 on base

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Senior Carmen Sclafani and freshman Victor Valderrama hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning and five pitchers combined to contain Florida Gulf Coast (13-6) in a 4-1 victory for Rutgers baseball (5-11) Sunday at Swanson Stadium.

"Coach Duffy has been working with the hitters more mentally than mechanically," head coach Joe Litterio said. "We are a much better hitting team than we've shown, and we know this. We have been waiting for it to come around. Seeing a lefty starter for only the second time, we attacked early. Carmen's homer sparked the team and hitting is contagious. Valderrama followed with one. That's great, but we then stopped. It is a learning process and we need to continue to tack on."

Facing an offense that was averaging 8.4 runs per game, RU held FGCU to one and stranded 16 runners on base. Junior Jack Parkinson started and collected the first four outs before redshirt junior Tommy Genuario (1-0) entered to strand the bases loaded in the second. Genuario worked a staff-high 2.2 innings in the outing with one run permitted. Junior Steven Acosta followed with 2.1 scoreless innings to keep the lead.

Following fielding miscues in the seventh, junior Tevin Murray entered with bases loaded and one out. The left-hander struck out both lefty hitters faced and fanned two more in an effective eighth. Senior Serafino Brito earned his sixth career save after escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth. He has not allowed an earned run in his last five appearances.

"There were many pressure situations throughout the game," Litterio said. "The staff did a great job staying composed and executing pitches."

At the plate, Sclafani hit the first Rutgers home run of the season, his eighth career long ball, and Valderrama followed with his first round-tripper in his home state. Both also singled in the game. Sophomore Mike Nyisztor went 3-for-5 as the leadoff hitter, as the Scarlet Knights collected nine hits and three walks.

SCORING

Rutgers scored first after Nyisztor singled on the first pitch of the game and came around three batters later on an RBI groundout by senior Tyler McNamara.
After freshman Peter Serruto led off the second with a single, Sclafani and Valderrama connected for back-to-back homers to make it 4-0.
Florida Gulf Coast hit a double and single in the bottom of the third to get on the board.

NOTES

Rutgers last slammed back-to-back homers on April 22, 2018 when Nick Matera and Sclafani accomplished the feat in a win over Nebraska at Bainton Field.
The RU pitchers held FGCU to 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-7 with bases loaded.
Justin Gill (0-2) took the loss for the Eagles with four runs allowed in a start. Nikolas Bitner provided six scoreless innings of relief.

UP NEXT
The Scarlet Knights will stay in Florida to play Harvard Wednesday in Port Charlotte. The game is set to start at 2 p.m.

BACK TO BACK! Valderrama follows with a towering shot to left for his first career homer.

T2 | Rutgers 4, Florida Gulf Coast 0 pic.twitter.com/NNZSQTCXhB
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 17, 2019

OUTTA HERE! Sclafani lifts a two-run homer to left. Eighth career long ball for the senior.

T2 | Rutgers 3, Florida Gulf Coast 0 pic.twitter.com/Zhvn7fonVf
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 17, 2019

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