PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball earned a run-rule victory on Senior Day, beating Ohio State by a score of 12-1 on Saturday at Bainton Field. 

The Scarlet Knights (28-25, 6-18) scored seven runs in the second and only allowed one hit to cruise against the Buckeyes (28-24, 12-12) and end the season on a high note. 

Donovan Zsak started on the mound for RU and delivered another stellar outing. He tied his career high – set last week at Penn State – pitching six quality innings. He gave up just one run on one hit, a solo home run, and struck out a career-high seven batters with three walks.

After a scoreless first from both teams, senior Pete Durocher gave Rutgers an early lead with a solo home run. Jackson Natili followed with an RBI single and two wild pitches scored two more runs to make it 4-0. Tony Santa Maria put an exclamation point on the inning with a booming three-run home run – his team-best 14th of the season – to make it 7-1. 

A solo homer put one on the board for OSU in the top of the third, but the Scarlet Knights responded with three more in the bottom half on a three-run home run from Johnny Volpe. 

Two bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the sixth gave Rutgers a 12-1 advantage. 

In his final appearance for Rutgers, Ben Gorski struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the run-rule victory. 

Rutgers caps off the year with a 28-25 record to secure its third straight winning season under head coach Steve Owens. 

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