| Rutgers (3-0) at Carolinas Coastline Classic |
| Game 4 at Coastal Carolina (3-1) |
Feb. 25 - 4 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup |
Rutgers - LHP Brian Fitzpatrick (0-0, 0.00)
Coastal Carolina - RHP Nick Parker (0-0, 1.93) |
| Coverage |
ESPN+ | Live Stats |
| Game 5 at UNC Wilmington (4-0) |
Feb. 26 - 4 p.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup |
Rutgers - RHP Jared Kollar (0-0, 6.75)
UNC Wilmington - RHP RJ Sales (0-0, 1.29) |
| Coverage |
FloSports | Live Stats |
| Game 6 vs. Middle Tennessee (1-4), Conway, S.C. |
Feb. 27 - 11 a.m. ET |
| Probable Pitching Matchup |
Rutgers - TBA
Middle Tennessee - TBA |
| Coverage |
Live Stats |
| Rutgers Links |
Notes | Schedule | Fact Book | Statistics | App |
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Coming off a season-opening sweep at Houston Baptist, Rutgers baseball is set to take on three opponents in the Carolinas Coastline Classic this weekend. The action starts Friday at Coastal Carolina before traveling up to UNC Wilmington Saturday and returning to Coastal Carolina Sunday for a neutral matchup versus Middle Tennessee.
Friday will stream on ESPN+ and Saturday on FloSports. Live stats will be available for all three games. Links can be found on the ScarletKnights.com baseball schedule.
- The Scarlet Knights outscored the Huskies by a 32-8 margin with only one error defensively in the series.
- In the opener, Brian Fitzpatrick worked four hitless, scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in his first start since March 3, 2019, to lead the team to a 4-0 victory. He retired 12-of-14 batters faced. Sam Bello followed with 4.1 scoreless and LHP Dale Stanavich induced a double play to end the game and seal RU's first shutout on Opening Day since 1978. The offense posted 11 hits spread out amongst eight players, with multiple-hit performance by Mike Nyisztor, Nick Cimillo and Evan Sleight. Ryan Lasko scored a pair of runs with one knocked in, while Cimillo and Tony Santa Maria collected RBIs in their RU debuts.
- Rutgers exploded for 10 runs in the sixth inning of game two to run away with an 18-3 win. Richie Schiekofer posted a career-high five hits, with the bats collecting 21 hits, 12 walks and five hit by pitch to put 38 on. It marked the sixth time under head coach Steve Owens the Scarlet Knights scored at least 15 runs in a game.
- RU scored in six-straight innings on Sunday to take a 10-5 win. Santa Maria sparked the offense with three doubles, four RBIs and a walk. Nathan Florence made his first RU start on the mound and permitted just one run in three innings, striking out four. Justin Sinibaldi followed up retiring 6-of-7 faced in relief.
- Rutgers totaled 43 hits in the opening series with at least 11 each game. The last time starting a season with double-digit hits in three-straight games was in 2000 in a series at NC State.
- The Scarlet Knights recorded 13 two-out RBIs in the first series.
- Chris Brito and Schiekofer both carry 20-game on-base streaks dating back to last season.
- Cimillo leads the offense early on with a .714 on-base percentage on five hits and five walks, while Schiekofer has eight hits in 14 at bats.
- Santa Maria knocked in eight last weekend with four doubles.
- The Scarlet Knights totaled 31 strikeouts compared to nine walks at Houston Baptist.
- Fitzpatrick matched his career high with seven strikeouts last week and retired the first seven hitters faced.
- Jared Kollar settled in to post three-straight scoreless frames in his Rutgers debut. The right-hander struck out six.
- Stanavich is on the watch list for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year, which is presented to annually to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball.
- Kyle Muller leads the staff with 47 games of experience.
The Scarlet Knights have never previously played Coastal Carolina or UNC Wilmington. The only matchup with Middle Tennessee took place on March 1, 2003, a 7-6 win for the Blue Raiders.
Rutgers plays its first midweek game on March 1 at Saint Joseph's. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.
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