On Friday, Rutgers baseball (10-3) split a doubleheader at High Point University (4-11), defeating the Panthers in Game 1 by a 7-4 score. They fell 12-2 in the nightcap.
Game 1
Rutgers’ Tony Santa Maria, Josh Kuroda-Gruer, and Justin Sinibaldi stole the show for the Scarlet Knights in game one. Santa Maria and Kuroda-Gruer combined for four of Rutgers’ seven RBIs, logging a pair of home runs in game one.
The Scarlet Knights fell behind early, trailing 2-0 heading into the sixth inning, but Santa Maria tied the game with a two-run shot. With his home run on Friday, Santa Maria is the Big Ten leader in home runs with six on the season. After Santa Maria’s home run, Kuroda-Grauer followed with a booming solo shot to give Rutgers a 3-2 lead.
In the seventh inning, the Scarlet Knights added a pair of insurance runs on RBI singles from RJ Johnson Jr. and Trevor Cohen. Also, the Scarlet Knights added two more runs in the eighth inning, with Kuroda-Grauer and Pete Durocher contributing solo home runs, making the score 7-2.
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On the mound for the Scarlet Knights, pitcher Justin Sinibaldi recorded another eight-inning start. Sinibaldi recorded eight strikeouts, two earned runs, eight hits, and one walk. With his performance on Friday, Sinibaldi captured his third victory in 2024.
Final: High Point 12, Rutgers 2
Back at it for the rubber game Sunday at 1 p.m.#TCD
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 9, 2024
Game 2
The Panthers took control of game two early, recording four runs in the first on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch, RBI groundout, error, and another hit-by-pitch. In the second inning, High Point added a two-out double to make it a 5-0 game. Two innings later, the Panthers would add a two-run home run, extending their lead to 7-0.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, the Panthers added more run support, extending their lead to 9-0. After High Point scored a pair in the bottom of the sixth inning, Rutgers Ty Doucette led off the seventh with a solo home run, cutting the lead to 9-1. Friday’s home run was Doucette’s first of his career.
The Scarlet Knights would add another run in the eighth inning from JB Jones’s double, but that would be all the offense Rutgers could produce, dropping the second game 12-2.
The Scarlet Knights wrap up their three-game series matchup against High Point on Sunday, with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.
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