Murray Pitches Gem to Beat Penn State

Saturday, May 4

University Park, Pa.

3:20 PM

Rutgers University

19-25, 8-9

Penn State

20-21, 3-16

Rutgers

Penn State

Photo by: Mark Brown

May 04 | Baseball

Box Score Statistics

Junior allows no earned runs to lower Big Ten ERA to 0.73

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Junior Tevin Murray did not allow an earned run over a career-high eight innings to lift Rutgers baseball (19-25, 8-9) to a 5-1 road victory over Penn State (20-21, 3-16) in game two of the series Saturday at Medlar Field. The left-hander matched his collegiate high with nine strikeouts and received five runs of offensive support in the final three innings.

"This was an important win after dropping the first one today," head coach Joe Litterio said. "All games from here on out are must wins. Our rotation was jumbled because of the rain last night and Tevin stepped up. He went deep in the game, kept his composure and filled up the zone. He gave the team a chance to win."

The Scarlet Knights now have eight Big Ten wins to surpass last season's total with seven conference games still remaining on the schedule.

Murray, who went six innings four previous starts this season, logged eight frames with one two hits permitted, including a bunt single. He left four runners on base and the only run that crossed was unearned following an error. The lefty lowered his Big Ten ERA to 0.73 (three earned runs, 37 innings) and has surrendered only one earned run in his last five starts (31 innings). In addition, Murray owns 73 strikeouts in 59.1 innings this season with eight outings of six or more punchouts.

Sophomore Kyle Muller dealt a scoreless ninth to close out the win. It was the seventh time this season the Rutgers pitching staff held an opponent to one run or less, with it being the fourth occasion surrendering no earned runs.

Offensively, junior Kevin Welsh delivered a two-run, go-ahead single with bases loaded and two down in the seventh with RU trailing 1-0. That proved to be the difference in the game. Freshman Victor Valderrama, senior Luke Bowerbank and junior Kevin Blum all added RBIs as the Scarlet Knights posted two more in the eighth and one in the ninth to pull away. In addition, freshman David Soto has his first career multiple-hit game by smacking a single and a double.

"We left a couple runners on early and that was frustrating," Litterio said. "It was great to see Kevin attack early with bases loaded. That allowed us to relax. And it was great to see us tack on late."

Eric Mock worked six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts for the Nittany Lions before the bullpen gave up five runs.

SCORING

The Nittany Lions plated an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly.
The Scarlet Knights broke through to take the lead in the seventh. Senior Tyler McNamara walked with one out and Blum followed with a single. A fly ball went as the second out, but sophomore Mike Nyisztor walked to keep the inning alive. Next up, Welsh jumped on the first pitch and lined a two-run single to right field.
Rutgers expanded its lead to 4-1 in the eighth. Bowerbank drew a one-out walk, stole second and scored on an RBI single from Valderrama. After a wild pitch, Valderrama crossed on a safety squeeze laid down by Blum.
The fifth run in the ninth generated from redshirt freshman Tim Dezzi walking to reach for the third time in the game. Freshman Alex Russo pinch ran, stole second and touched home with two outs on an RBI single to left-center by Bowerbank.

NOTES

Rutgers stole a season-high seven bases.
Rutgers won for the third time this season when trailing after six innings.
The defense did not commit an error for the 10^th game in 2019.
Murray and Muller held PSU to 0-for-10 with runners on base, while RU collected four hits with runners in scoring position.
Valderrama increased his on-base streak to 21 games.
Rutgers won its first Big Ten game at Medlar Field.
The game lasted two hours, 55 minutes and the game-time temperature was 70 degrees.

UP NEXT
The rubber game of the series is set for 11 a.m. on Sunday, two hours earlier than originally scheduled.

VICTORY! Scarlet Knights take game two at Penn State, 5-1. Murray deals a career-high eight innings with no earned runs allowed. Welsh with go-ahead single in the seventh. pic.twitter.com/I0dUylAGst
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 4, 2019

Safety squeeze! Blum gets the bunt down and Valderrama scores.

T8 | Rutgers 4, Penn State 1 pic.twitter.com/IwEKOOZqu0
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 4, 2019

Insurance run! Bowerbank walks with one out, steals second & scores on an RBI single by Valderrama.

T8 | Rutgers 3, Penn State 1 pic.twitter.com/RcoaQWRasj
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 4, 2019

Welsh comes through! A two-out, two-run single with bases loaded puts the Scarlet Knights on top.

T7 | Rutgers 2, Penn State 1 pic.twitter.com/TKFqVgGLV7
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 4, 2019

Nice catch by Bowerbank! Senior battles the rain drops to track down a deep fly & strand runner at third.

T6 | Penn State 1, Rutgers 0 pic.twitter.com/6JusDm4oAA
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) May 4, 2019

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