Rutgers University
13-19, 5-4
Michigan State
8-25, 0-8
Baseball Blanks Michigan State to Complete Sweep
Apr 14 | Baseball
Murray strikes out nine as Scarlet Knights pitch a one-hitter
"We did everything well this weekend," head coach Joe Litterio said. "We had a great start on the mound each day, played solid defense and came through with timely hits. The team played with great confidence."
Junior Tevin Murray earned the win with a career-high nine strikeouts over six innings. The left-hander started the outing with 5.2 hitless innings before the Spartans recorded a double for their only hit of the day. All three RU starting pitchers went six frames this weekend with a combined three earned runs permitted for a 1.50 ERA.
"Tevin filled up the zone today," Litterio said. "He's tough to see and tough to hit. He kept them off balance all day."
Freshman Garrett French, junior Steven Acosta and senior Serafino Brito all dealt a perfect inning of relief to close out the victory. Acosta and Brito appeared in all three games against MSU, combining to allow one run in 6.1 innings.
Offensively, the Scarlet Knights posted three in the second, four in the fourth and another in the seventh for the eight runs. Sophomore Mike Nyisztor went 3-for-4 with a walk to spark the lineup as the leadoff hitter, while senior Tyler McNamara had two hits and two RBIs. The hitters totaled 10 hits and walked eight times.
"Sweeping a Big Ten team just tells us that we can do it," Litterio said. "We have to keep getting better, it's a process. We played solid baseball this weekend and to get the sweep is a first. We don't want it to be the last. There's a long way to go."
SCORING
- The Scarlet Knights rallied for three runs in the second to take the lead. Freshman Victor Valderrama drew a full-count walk to start the inning, with senior Luke Bowerbank singling on a hit-and-run to put runners at the corners. After a strikeout, junior Kevin Blum hit a double to make it five RBIs in his last four games. Nyisztor and junior Kevin Welsh both walked to force in a second run and coerce a Michigan State pitching change. Redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi lifted a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.
- In the fourth, Rutgers added four more runs to expand it to a seven-run lead. Nyisztor hit a one-out bunt single, stole second, Welsh walked and Dezzi walked to load the bases. McNamara then connected for a two-run single through the left side. Valderrama would later knock in another on an error, as Bowerbank hit a run-scoring fly ball.
- Senior Carmen Sclafani, the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, struck a pinch-hit double in the seventh, with junior Anthony Greco crossing on a pair of wild pitches as a pinch runner.
NOTES
- Rutgers last swept a league series in the American Athletic Conference against USF from May 9-11, 2014 at Bainton Field. The team did sweep Army last season over spring break in a non-conference set.
- Rutgers has won five games in a row for the first time since taking the first six to start the spring break trip last season.
- Rutgers last pitched a one-hitter on May 4, 2004 when Chris Rini (six innings) and OJ DeChristofano (three innings) combined to beat Lafayette, 1-0.
- Rutgers is now is 5-1 against Michigan State in the last six meetings after losing the previous six in Big Ten play.
- Rutgers has won four consecutive Big Ten games for the first time since joining the conference in 2015.
- This marked Rutgers' first shutout of the season, first since April 25, 2018 versus St. Peter's (17-0) and third overall in Big Ten play. The other two came against Penn State.
- Michigan State was held to just two plate appearances with a runner in scoring position in the game (walk, strikeout).
- Dezzi extended his hitting streak to eight games and Nyisztor has been on base in each of the last 13 games.
- Acosta has pitched in 10 of the last 11 games.
- The game-time temperature was 67 degrees and the contest lasted two hours, 52 minutes.
UP NEXT
Rutgers continues its seven-game homestand Wednesday versus Hofstra at 3 p.m. The next Big Ten series starts Friday against Purdue.
SWEEP! #RBaseball breaks out the brooms with an 8-0, one-hit shutout win over Michigan State. First Big Ten sweep for the Scarlet Knights. pic.twitter.com/J35Hh35PgV
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
The bats were busy for @RutgersBaseball today, but it was the performance on the mound that led to the Scarlet Knights to victory!
— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) April 14, 2019
Check out the plays from Rutgers' win over Michigan State!#GoRU pic.twitter.com/0eeawzg5fg
Reigning Big Ten Player of the Week Carmen Sclafani rips a double! Greco pinch runs and scores on a pair of wild pitches.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B7 | Rutgers 8, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/meDBUqtuCP
Valderrama drives in a run on an error & Bowerbank follows with a sacrifice fly to score McNamara.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B4 | Rutgers 7, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/Lj0PYGRY2x
Two-run single for McNamara! Scarlet Knights take a five-run lead.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B4 | Rutgers 5, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/QFdc1LmV4j
Dezzi drives in Blum on a sacrifice fly.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B2 | Rutgers 3, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/wvtPKzb75o
Welsh takes ball four with bases loaded to score Bowerbank. Spartans call the bullpen.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B2 | Rutgers 2, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/OO46dtbfAu
Blum connects for an RBI single to put the Scarlet Knights ahead! Five RBIs in the last four games for the junior outfielder from Toms River.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B2 | Rutgers 1, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/kb7wf92caG
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding baseball, follow the program on Twitter (@RutgersBaseball), Instagram (@rutgersbaseball) and Facebook (/BaseballRU). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.Murray finishes off a 1-2-3 first inning by covering first. Scarlet Knights coming to bat.
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) April 14, 2019
B1 | Rutgers 0, Michigan State 0 pic.twitter.com/vZjKWBPmjI
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Murray, Tevin (2-3)
L: Sleeman,Caleb (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Bechina,Marty 1
Base Running:
HBP: Ando,Royce 1
Batting:
2B: Sclafani, Carmen 1 ; Blum, Kevin 1
RBI: Welsh, Kevin 1 ; Dezzi, Tim 1 ; McNamara, Tyler 2 ; Valderrama, Victor 1 ; Bowerbank, Luke 1 ; Blum, Kevin 1
SF: Dezzi, Tim 1 ; Bowerbank, Luke 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nyisztor, Mike 1 ; Welsh, Kevin 1 ; Dezzi, Tim 1 ; McNamara, Tyler 1 ; Valderrama, Victor 1 ; Bowerbank, Luke 1 ; Greco, Anthony 1 ; Blum, Kevin 1
SB: Nyisztor, Mike 2 ; Welsh, Kevin 1
