Category: Rutgers baseball

Rutgers baseball: Justin Sinibaldi named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week

Rutgers baseball’s Justin Sinibaldi got a weekly honor from the Big Ten.

Last Friday, Rutgers left-hander Justin Sinibaldi dazzled on the mound, holding UConn scoreless in nine innings of work. Due to his latest masterpiece, Sinibaldi had a reason to celebrate on Monday. He was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.

As Sinibaldi set the tone for the series against the Huskies, he struck out nine batters while allowing four hits. The Bridgewater native became the first pitcher in program history to throw a shutout since Howie Grey in 2016. In his latest win, Rutgers needed every bit of Sinibaldi’s brilliance.

The Huskies were able to keep Rutgers scoreless until the seventh inning. Rutgers offense then broke through, putting three runs on the board. That is all offense fans would see before the game came to a close.

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Justin Sinibaldi goes the distance for @RutgersBaseball. Complete game shutout for the big lefty. Final line:

9 IP, 110 pitches
4 H
0 R
1 BB
9 K pic.twitter.com/vKRQXH2gYZ

— Brian Recca (@brian_recca) March 22, 2024

Through 41.2 innings of work this season, Sinibaldi has posted a 3.02 ERA and struck out 40 batters. He already has four wins, only one short of matching his career high. Rutgers has had a good chance of winning whenever he has been on the mound.

While the season is far from over, the 2024 campaign is already shaping up to be one Sinibaldi won’t forget. He is on pace to set new career highs in multiple categories, including strikeouts, innings pitched, and games started.

As long he builds on his recent success, more weekly awards could be on the horizon.

Rutgers baseball: The Scarlet Knights drop series finale against UConn

On Sunday, Rutgers baseball (17-7) dropped their series finale against UConn 5-1 after defeating the Huskies on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, Rutgers baseball (17-7) dropped their series finale against UConn (8-13) 5-1 after defeating the Huskies on Friday (3-0) and Saturday (13-6). The Scarlet Knights were riding a seven-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s game.

Rutgers won the series against UConn, taking the first two games of the series.

Pitcher Zack Konstantinovsky got the nod on the mound for the Scarlet Knights, recording his third loss in 2024. Konstantinovsky logged a solid outing, recording six strikeouts throughout his 5.1 innings pitched. In a losing effort, Konstantinovsky allowed seven hits and one earned run. He now holds a 6.48 ERA on the season for the Scarlet Knights.

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At the plate, the Scarlet Knights were held scoreless until the bottom of the eighth inning when catcher Jackson Natili homered to left center to get Rutgers on the board. Natili’s home run was the only offense the Scarlet Knights could produce in Sunday’s loss. Rutgers registered only five hits, striking out four times while leaving four runners on base.

Rutgers freshman first baseman Ty Doucette continued his hitting streak on Sunday as he doubled to left center in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

UConn’s Stephen Quigley recorded a complete game for the Huskies, recording four strikeouts throughout his nine innings pitched. Quigley picked up his first victory in 2024 as he now holds a 3.41 ERA on the season.

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The Scarlet Knights return to action on Tuesday as they host NJIT at Bainton Field.

 

Rutgers baseball: Saturday win over UConn gives Scarlet Knights the series

On Saturday, Rutgers baseball (17-6) captured their fifth series victory when the Scarlet Knights defeated UConn (8-12) 10-3. 

On Saturday, Rutgers baseball (17-6) captured their fifth series victory when the Scarlet Knights defeated UConn (8-12) 13-6. After defeating UConn 3-0 on Friday, Rutgers followed their Game 1 victory with another dominant performance on Saturday.

Game One

Rutgers pitcher Justin Sinibaldi stole the show for the Scarlet Knights when he registered a complete game shutout against the Huskies. Sinibaldi recorded nine scoreless innings, logging nine strikeouts. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound lefty pitcher allowed four hits, giving up one walk. The Bridgewater, New Jersey native registered his fourth victory in 2024 when Rutgers defeated UConn 3-0.

At the plate, the Scarlet Knights scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning as they secured their 16th victory of the year. Rutgers third baseman Tony Santa Maria, first baseman Ty Doucette, and left fielder Johnny Volpe provided the firepower for the Scarlet Knights in game one.

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Santa Maria grabbed the lead for the Scarlet Knights with a solo home run to right field, giving Rutgers a 1-0 lead. Doucette continued the momentum with a single back up the middle to extend Rutgers’ lead to 2-0.  Volpe recorded Rutgers’ final run with a safety squeeze bunt that scored Pete Durocher and secured the Scarlet Knights’  3-0 victory over the Huskies.

Game 2

Rutgers followed their game one victory with a 13-5 win over UConn on Saturday. Rutgers’ game-two victory gave the Scarlet Knights their fifth series win in 2024. Rutgers recorded 14 hits in game two, producing 13 runs.

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Rutgers jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when second baseman Cameron Love and center fielder RJ Johnson Jr registered two doubles, scoring two runs. Right fielder Trevor Cohen followed the two doubles by Love and Johnson Jr with a two-run home run giving Rutgers a 4-0 lead.

The Huskies got on the board in the top of the third inning with a two-run home run, but the Scarlet Knights added two runs in the bottom of the frame when catcher Jackson Natili blasted a home run to keep their four-run lead.

Rutgers added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth inning giving the Scarlet Knights a 8-2 lead, but the Huskies cut the lead to five with an RBI single in the top of the fifth inning.

Rutgers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving the Scarlet Knights a 10-3 lead. After two runs by UConn in the top of the eighth inning, the Scarlet Knights bounced back with three more runs in the bottom of the frame, giving RU a 13-5 lead.

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UConn added a run in the top of the ninth inning, but the Scarlet Knights ended the Huskies’ comeback, capturing the 13-6 victory. Pitcher Christian Coppola picked up his fourth victory in 2024, recording six strikeouts, two walks, five hits, and three earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.

Rutgers returns to action on Sunday when they host UConn in the series finale.

 

Rutgers baseball: No Big Ten baseball teams ranked in the latest top 25

There are no Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25 of this week’s baseball polls.

Despite an impressive 15-6 start to the season, Rutgers baseball is still not ranked. In fact, no team in the Big Ten was ranked in the top 25 in the latest rankings.

Earlier this season, Iowa and Indiana were ranked, but that was short-lived as the games piled up. They are now on the outside looking in.

So far this season, Rutgers has played one team currently ranked in North Carolina, ranked No.23. In their series against the Tarheels, Rutgers went 0-2 while being outscored 22-15. Rutgers could not stop Casey Cook, who drove in six runs.

Pablo Santos’ first career hit is a bases-clearing triple!!

He brings home three more and we take an 18-1 lead in the fifth!#TCD pic.twitter.com/WHdQSbu4dS

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 20, 2024

Although that two-game stretch did not go as planned, Rutgers has bounced back quickly. The Scarlet Knights have won five straight games and scored at least eight runs in every game. That stretch includes a 27-run outburst against Delaware on March 16.

As Rutgers looks to earn a top-25 ranking, it will need its offense to stay hot. So far this season, the Scarlet Knights have hit 20 home runs, seven of which belong to Tony Santa Maria. If he continues to be a hitting machine, Rutgers will be hard to stop.

Looking ahead, April will be a big month for Rutgers. They are set to take on both Indiana and Iowa on the road. Those series will be good opportunities for Rutgers to prove themselves.

Justin Sinibaldi providing Rutgers baseball with solid innings

Justin Sinibaldi is off to a strong start for Rutgers baseball.

Since making his college debut during the 2021 season, Justin Sinibaldi has become a crucial part of Rutgers rotation. As the Scarlet Knights have gotten off to a 13-6 start, the talented left-hander has set the tone on the mound.

Through five outings, Sinibaldi has pitched to a 3.86 ERA and posted a 3-0 record. He has also struck out 31 batters and allowed two home runs. His success has partly been due to his control.

In 32.2 innings, Sinibaldi has only walked two batters. His latest masterpiece came on March 17 against Winthrop. The Bridgewater, New Jersey native allowed one run in seven innings while adding two strikeouts to his resume. For the third time this season, he did not walk a batter.

 

Although the 2023 campaign is far from over, Sinibaldi has been Rutgers best pitcher. He currently leads the Scarlet Knights in innings pitched, strikeouts, wins and earned run average. Opponents are also only hitting .246 against Sinibaldi.

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With over a month left in the regular season, Sinalbdi is on pace to set new career highs in wins and innings pitched. He is making the most of his senior season while giving Rutgers a chance to win every time he steps on the mound. That is a welcome sign for Rutgers, which has high expectations for the 2024 campaign.

Rutgers baseball shortstop Josh Kuroda-Grauer is red hot in 2024

Rutgers baseball shortstop Josh Kuroda-Grauer has been on fire through the early part of the 2024 season.

Rutgers baseball shortstop Josh Kuroda-Grauer has been on fire through the early part of the 2024 season. In 21 games this season, Kuroda-Grauer has recorded a .452 batting average, logging 42 hits, 28 RBIs, nine walks, 12 doubles, and three home runs.

According to FSS Plus Senior Analyst Joe Doyle, the USA Baseball College National Team invitee and Somerset, New Jersey native is ranked No. 157 in the recently updated Top 300 board for the 2024 MLB Draft. Kuroda-Grauer has one of the best eyes in college baseball, drawing walks to get on base.

Kuroda-Grauer and Rutgers freshman first baseman Ty Doucette were named Big Ten Player of the Week for their performances last week. Kuroda-Grauer received his first weekly award from the conference, logging an outstanding performance against Delaware and No. 13 North Carolina.

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In three games against the Blue Hens, he went 12-for-17 (.706) with a home run, five doubles, eight RBIs, and nine runs scored. Against No. 13 North Carolina, Kuroda-Grauer logged a hit and run scored in both games.

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Rutgers baseball captured two victories during midweek action

Rutgers baseball (15-6) defeated Rider University 8-2 and Lafayette 18-6 to capture two victories during midweek action.

On Tuesday, Rutgers baseball (15-6) defeated Rider University (2-14) 8-2 to capture their 14th victory in 2024. The Scarlet Knights followed Tuesday’s victory with an 18-6 victory over Lafayette on Wednesday to record their second home win this week.

8-2 victory over Rider

Rutgers’ win on Tuesday was the Scarlet Knights’ second home victory of the 2024 season. The Scarlet Knights combined for 14 hits as pitcher Jordan Falco recorded his first win in 2024. Falco registered five strong innings, recording three hits, two runs, one strikeout, and two walks. In relief, pitchers Joe Mazza and Sonny Fauci recorded four scoreless innings to secure the Scarlet Knights’ victory.

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Rutgers first baseman Ty Doucette led the way for the Scarlet Knights at the plate. Doucette logged four of Rutgers’ eight RBIs on Tuesday when he singled to right field and produced a two-run home run in the bottom of the third inning.

Also, Rutgers shortstop Josh Kuroda-Grauer recorded two RBIs when he doubled down the left field line in the first inning and blasted a home run to left center in the third inning to give Rutgers a 4-0 lead.

 

18-6 victory over Lafayette

On Wednesday, Lafayette jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Scarlet Knights recorded 18 unanswered runs to capture an 18-6 victory.

On the mound, Rutgers pitcher Ben Gorski picked up his second victory, recording three strikeouts, four hits, and one earned run in five innings pitched.

At the plate, the Scarlet Knights offense exploded for 14 hits, producing 18 runs. Right fielder Trevor Cohen (3), second baseman Pablo Santos (3), and third baseman Tony Santa Maria (3) combined for nine of Rutgers’ 15 RBIs.

The Scarlet Knights return to action on Friday as Rutgers gets set to host UConn in a three-game set at Bainton Field.

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Rutgers baseball: Kuroda-Grauer,Doucette earn Big Ten weekly honors

Two from Rutgers baseball get weekly Big Ten honors.

After another successful week, Rutgers baseball earned some national recognition on Monday. Josh Kuroda-Grauer was named the Big Ten Player of the Week, and Ty Doucette was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week. The talented duo dominated at the plate and continued to be bright spots for the Scarlet Knights.

In five games last week, Kurda-Grauer recorded 11 hits and drove in eight runs. The talented infielder did not strike out once while recording six extra-base hits. He was also perfect in the field, registering six putouts and turning three double plays. Following a stellar sophomore season, the New Jersey native has picked up where he left off.

TY DOUCETTE LAUNCHES ONE FOR HIS SECOND HOME RUN OF THE DAY!!

He crushes one to the deepest part of the park and we take a 10-3 lead!#TCD pic.twitter.com/Q5f8QOevrM

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 17, 2024

As Rutgers offense continued to thrive, Kuroda-Grauer got some help from Doucette. The freshman phenom posted a .727 batting average against Delaware over the weekend in 11 at-bats. He also added three home runs, including a grand slam to his resume.

While the season is far from over, Kuroda-Grauer and Doucette have formed a formidable duo. Doucette is second on the team in home runs with five, and Kuroda-Grauer leads the team with a .444 batting average. For Rutgers to continue their success they will need Kuroda-Grauer and Doucette to stay hot at the plate.

That should be no issue for Rutgers stars, given how they have performed so far.

Over the weekend, Rutgers baseball swept the Blue Hens in a three game series

After defeating Delaware on Friday, Rutgers defeated the Blue Hens 27-13 on Saturday and 14-3 on Sunday to boost their record to 13-6.

It was a clean sweep for Rutgers baseball over the weekend, as the Scarlet Knights gained some momentum back with three straight wins over Delaware.

After defeating Delaware 15-10 on Friday, Rutgers baseball (13-6) defeated the Blue Hens (8-10) 27-13 on Saturday and 14-3 on Sunday to capture their fourth series victory in 2024.

Game One

On Friday, Rutgers baseball ended their four-game losing streak, defeating Delaware 15-10 in game one. With the game tied at 10-10 in the top of the eighth inning, Rutgers first baseman Ty Doucette produced a grand slam to secure the Scarlet Knights’ victory. Doucette was named the freshman of the week in the Big Ten Conference for his efforts last week. The Rutgers first baseman finished the week with three home runs and 11 RBIs.

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Game Two

On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights registered 29 hits, producing 27 runs in game two. The Scarlet Knights scored seven runs in three different innings to blow past the Blue Hens and their 29 hits were the most since they had 31 against Fairleigh Dickinson in 2004.

Rutgers pitcher Christian Coppola started the game on the mound for the Scarlet Knights as he picked up his third victory in 2024. He finished with five strikeouts throughout five innings, letting up two runs on three hits and six walks.

Game Three

On Sunday, Rutgers baseball lit up the scoreboard for the third straight day to cruise to a 14-3 victory over Delaware to finish the series sweep. The Scarlet Knights recorded 21 hits, producing 14 runs in game three. Rutgers used an eight-run sixth inning to capture their 13th victory in 2024.

Pitcher Zack Konstantinovsky got the nod for the Scarlet Knights, pitching four innings. Konstantinovsky allowed three runs on five hits, striking out four and walking three. Reliever Jake Marshall earned the win in relief, pitching three scoreless innings, capturing his first victory in 2024. Marshall allowed three hits while striking out three and walking one.

The Scarlet Knights return home on Tuesday as they host Rider University at Bainton Field with the first pitch coming at 3 PM.

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Rutgers baseball Ty Doucette was named to the All-True Freshman Team

Rutgers baseball Ty Doucette got named to the Pro Baseball Radar Week 5 All-True Freshman Team for his recent performance over the weekend.

On Monday, Rutgers baseball Ty Doucette was named to Pro Baseball Radar’s Week 5 All-True Freshman Team for his recent performance over the weekend. The Rutgers first baseman recorded ten RBIs against Delaware, guiding the Scarlet Knights to three victories over the Blue Hens.

Doucette had 11 at-bats against the Blue Hens, producing five runs, eight hits, ten RBIs, three home runs, and two hit-by-pitches, finishing the weekend with a .371 batting average.

The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia product had a strong start on Friday when he produced a grand slam to secure the Scarlet Knights’ game-one victory. With the game tied at 10-10 in the top of the eighth inning, Doucette’s grand slam gave Rutgers a four-run lead to secure their first victory over the Blue Hens.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman logged five RBIs in Game 1 of the Delaware series with two hits throughout his five at-bats.

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Doucette continued his offensive momentum into game two on Saturday when he recorded two more hits in a winning effort. On Saturday, Doucette registered two at-bats, logging two hits, two runs, and an RBI in a 27-13 victory.

In Sunday’s matchup against the Blue Hens, Doucette produced four more hits in a 14-3 victory over Delaware.  He registered two home runs and four RBIs throughout his four at-bats.

On the season, Doucette has recorded 35 at-bats, registering 13 hits, 12 RBIs, four home runs, and three walks throughout ten games.

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