Piscataway, N.J. (Apr. 19, 2016) --- Delaware State tied its season-high in hits and played an error-free game, but it was not enough as the visiting Hornets fell to Big 10 Rutgers 12-8 at Bainton Field today.
The Scarlet Knight scored five runs in the sixth inning to snap a 6-6 tie, and held on for its 17th win of the season (17-19). The Hornets fell to 9-27.
Tom Marcinzyk and Kyle Walker drove in three runs each to lead Rutgers' 12-hit attack.
Austin Bentley was three-for-five with three runs batted in, while Darnel Maisonet had four hits and a RBI in five at-bats for the Hornets. DSU's 16 hits tied its high for the season. Delaware State also had 16 base knocks in a 9-5 win at Norfolk State on Mar. 19.
Rutgers opened the scoring with two runs off Hornet starter Cole Davis in the bottom of the first inning.
DSU answered with a pair of runs in the third to tie the game. Todd Henry and Kwestin Smith had back-to-back singles with one out to give the Hornets runners at second and first. Maisonet followed with an infield single. Henry scored on the hit, while Smith and Maisonet advanced to third and second, respectively, on a throwing error on the play.
The Hornets grabbed a 4-2 lead when Henry singled in Chris Panzarella and Evan Regez in the fourth.
Rutgers wasted little time in regaining the lead. The Scarlet Knights out four runs on the board in the bottom of the fourth to open up a 6-4 lead. Walker had a two-run double for the big hit in the inning.
DSU got one run back in the fifth. Panzarella singled with two outs in the bases empty. He stole second and later scored on a Rutgers error to pull the Hornets to within a run.
Delaware State scored in the sixth when Smith singled to lead off the inning and crossed the plate on a two-out single by Bentley to tie the game at 6-6.
Rutgers answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Marcinzyk struck the big blow in the inning, tripling in three runs off DSU reliever Gabe Rivera to give the Knights a 9-6 lead. Rutgers plated two more runs in the inning to open up an 11-6 lead.
The Scarlet Knights opened up a 12-6 lead when Walker drove in his third run of the game on a sac fly in the seventh.
Delaware State rounded out the scoring with two runs in the eighth. Maisonet had a one-out single and Rich Rountree followed with a double to put runners at third and second. Maisonet scored on a groundout by Bentley and Rountree crossed the plate on a double by Niko Cribb to cut Rutgers' lead to 12-8.
Smith was three-for-five at the plate, while Henry had two hits and two RBI in six at bats for DSU.
Rutgers reliever Reed Shuttle (1-2) was the winning pitcher, while Terry Godfrey (0-1), the third of eight DSU hurlers, was tagged with the loss.
The Hornets return to MEAC action with a three-game series at UMES this weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and a single game on Sunday at noon.
Delaware State is second in the MEAC North standings with a 9-5 record, one game behind first plate Norfolk State.
