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Piscataway, NJ - Rutgers plated five runs in the fifth inning to break open a close game en route to a 13-8 win over Wagner in non-conference action at Bainton Field. The Scarlet Knights improve to 12-10 with the win while the Seahawks fall to 9-15.

RU opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Brian O'Grady and Nick Favatella drew back-to-back walks to start the game before advancing to second-and-third on a fly out. Patrick Kivlehan made it 1-0 RU with a sacrifice fly to center field, on a deep fly that sophomore Ian Miller (Downington, PA / Bishop Shanahan) hauled in while battling the swirling Bainton Field wind.

From that point sophomore RHP Nick Pavia (Staten Island, NY / St. Joseph By The Sea) would settle and allow just two hits over the first four frames.

Unfortunately, the Wagner offense could only manage a pair of hits during that time, a two-out freshman Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) single in the top of the second and this leadoff double to left center off the bat of Eddie Brown (Sr., Edison, NJ / St. Joseph's (Metuchen) / Seton Hall) in the top of the fourth. On the ensuing play, senior Hayden Hunter (Santa Monica, CA / Notre Dame) hit a line drive that the third baseman was able to corral while keeping Brown from advancing. Brown would move to third but be stranded when Dini crushed a line drive right at the center fielder for the final out of the frame.

The Seahawks finally got on the board in the top of the fifth inning with a single tally. Senior Tommy Higgins (Port Monmouth, NJ / Red Bank Catholic) opened up the frame with a single through the left side, before sophomore Cliff Brantley (Staten Island, NY / Port Richmond) moved him to second with a successful sacrifice bunt. Junior Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) then reached via an infield single. Following a strikeout, the runners moved up to second-and-third on a passed ball.  Graduate student Bill Murphy (Cranford, NJ / Roselle Catholic / Rutgers) then tied the game up with this run-scoring single through the right side, scoring Higgins to tie the game up at 1-1. However, on the play Alfano was thrown out for the final out of the frame.

Rutgers retook the lead with five runs in the bottom part of the frame while sending eight men to the plate.

Wagner got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth inning. Brown led off with a four-pitch walk before swiping second. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Brown scored on this sacrifice fly off the bat of Jayson Keel (Jr., Starkville, MS / Starkville / Holmes CC), cutting the deficit to 6-2.

The Scarlet Knights made it a 9-2 game with three runs in the bottom part of the frame.

In the top of the eighth, the Seahawks rallied with three runs to cut the deficit to 9-5. Miller led off with a single before stealing second. Murphy then drew a walk, before Brown followed with this double down the left field line, scoring Miller while advancing Murphy to third. After a strikeout, Keel plated Murphy with this RBI ground out before Dini capped the three-run frame with this two-out single that scored Brown.

RU, though, answered with four more runs in the bottom part of the frame in building a 13-5 advantage.

The Green & White made one last effort in the top of the ninth. Brantley tripled to left center to lead off the frame. Following a strikeout, Miller drew a free pass, before stealing second. Murphy then chased home Brantley with a single up the middle. Brown followed with his third hit of the game, scoring Miller. Freshman Jason Gordon (Baltimore, MD / Archbishop Curley) capped the scoring with a RBI ground out, scoring Murphy while providing the final 13-9 tally.

Brown went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, two RBI, two stolen bases and a walk while recording his team-best matching sixth multi-hit game, leading a Wagner offense that recorded 11 hits. Murphy collected his fifth multiple-hit game with a 2-for-4, two-run, two-RBI performance. Dini, who has hit safely in 10-of-11, also collected a pair of hits, finishing up 2-for-4 with a RBI.

Bill Hoermann went 4-for-5 with home run and two RBI, pacing a 13-hit Rutgers attack.

Scarlet Knight RHP Charlie Lasky (3-0) earned the win, hurling 2.0 innings of one-run ball. Pavia (1-2) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, yielding four of his five runs in the fifth inning.

Wagner begins a four-game series at the Mount on Friday, March 30 at 3:00 pm.