PISCATAWAY, N.J. –Â
Landon Mack pitched a career-high six scoreless innings and the offense provided early scoring to lead Rutgers baseball (9-10) to a 5-0 win over Cal Baptist (9-10) Saturday at Bainton Field. The win evens the series and sets up a rubber game Sunday.
In his fifth collegiate start, Mack held the Lancers to two hits and walked just one. The freshman struck out a pair and retired the last 13 batters faced.
Joe Mazza dealt the final three frames to pick up his fourth career save. It was the first shutout for the Scarlet Knights since blanking St. John's on April 23, 2024.
Offensively, RU posted 14 hits, including three from
Ty Doucette.
Peyton Bonds,
Jack Sweeney and
Yomar Carreras added two hits apiece in the balanced attack, as Sweeney recorded two RBIs.
The Scarlet Knights posted three runs with two outs in the first to take the early lead.
Trevor Cohen doubled and Doucette walked to put two aboard with one down. After a fielder's choice,
Nick Tomasetto delivered an RBI single up the middle and Sweeney followed with a two-run double down the right field line.
Mack kept the three-run lead from there until RU tacked on a pair in the fifth. Doucette and Bonds both singled before Tomasetto laid down a sacrifice bunt.
Pablo Santos then delivered a run-scoring fly ball, with Carreras adding an RBI double to make it 5-0.
Mazza stranded two in scoring position in the eighth inning and induced a double play in the ninth on the way to closing the victory.
Jacob Wilson (1-1) took the loss in a 4.1-inning start for Cal Baptist, who had its five-game winning streak snapped.
Sunday's series finale is set for a 10:30 a.m. start at Bainton Field.
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