The Scarlet Knights were in need of a series victory in Big Ten play.
After getting swept by the top-ranked UCLA Bruins last weekend, Rutgers responded with two wins against Penn State in a high-scoring series at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College.
Game One
After a slow start led to a scoreless tie in the third inning, Rutgers exploded.
The Scarlet Knights scored 10 runs in the top of the third to spark a 13-11 win on Friday afternoon.
Jack Sweeney got the scoring started with an RBI single. He would
homer later in the inning, the first of two on the day. Trey Wells drove in two with with a single as well.
Sweeney’s second home run of the day came in the fifth inning before Matt Chatelle delivered a solo shot to put Rutgers up 13-6. Sweeney finished 3-for-5 with four RBI.
Penn State did not go away with five runs over the final three innings but Rutgers was able to hang on.
Game Two
In a series that was dominated by offense, Vincent Borghese took over game two on the mound.
Borghese delivered a gem, tossing eight innings allowing one run on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks during a 4-1 win for Rutgers. He allowed a run in the second inning before keeping Penn State off the scoreboard for the next six innings.
Rutgers trailed 1-0 into the fifth inning before Ryan Jaros tied the game with an RBI single. He would give the Scarlet Knights the lead with a two-run single in the seventh inning.
Gabriel Rivera finished with two hits as well. Jason Masick closed out the game with a hitless ninth inning.
Game Three
Penn State got to the Rutgers’ staff early as it looked to avoid a sweep.
The Nittany Lions took a 5-0 lead after three innings before it ballooned to 14-2. Rutgers scored 11 unanswered runs but fell just short during a 14-13 loss to end the weekend.
Rutgers began the comeback attempt in the top of the seventh with seven runs to cut the lead to 14-9. Sweeney drove in a run before Julius Rosado added a three-run triple. Wells tripled later in the inning to drive in two runs.
The Scarlet Knights cut into the lead further in the eighth as Jaros homered before RBI knocks from Carreras and Rivera. A Trey Wells home run in the ninth got Rutgers within one run but it could not get closer.
