Staten Island, NY - The Wagner baseball team fell 18-3 to Rutgers in its home opener at SIUH Community Park on Tuesday.

Freshman Will Saxenmeyer earned his first career start, but the Scarlet Knights offense was tough to deny as they put up two runs early on the rookie to take the lead.

The Seahawks cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a productive groundout from senior Griffin Selby, but the Scarlet Knights poured it on in the fourth inning. Nine runs crossed the plate as Rutgers took an 11-1. 

All Wagner pitchers yielded runs, but sophomore Daniel Merkel was the lone pitcher to not give up an earned run as his two innings of work helped quiet Rutgers for a few innings.

Even with Merkel's solid stretch, the Scarlet Knights wouldn't stay quiet for long. Six more runs crossed home in the seventh and eighth innings combined to spoil Wagner's home opener.

In the loss junior Cole Kumpf got two hits and an RBI. 

The Green & White will hit the road this weekend, traveling to Baltimore, MD to take on Coppin State. Game 1 of the three-game series is set for Friday, March 10 at 3:00 pm.