Rutgers baseball crushes Wagner, gains momentum ahead of Georgia Southern series
The Rutgers baseball team had a showstopping outing in Staten Island against Wagner today. The Scarlet Knights (4-7, 0-0) defeated the Seahawks (5-6, 0-0) with an incredible 18-3 victory.
Rutgers got off to a hot start against Wagner. Junior outfielder Ryan Lasko hit a lead-off home run to get the Knights on the board early.
Junior left-handed pitcher Justin Sinibaldi pitched five innings, giving up an unearned run and striking out seven batters.
The Knights had a fantastic fourth inning, scoring 9 runs and cementing their win before the halfway point of the game. Even after a busy inning, Rutgers continued to score until the end of the contest.
Senior catcher Andy Axelson was put in the game toward the back end of the match, getting a couple of at-bats. Axelson hit his first collegiate home run and helped drive in 3 runs in the eighth inning to extend the Knights' lead once again.
After securing a dominating victory, Rutgers will make its trip down south to Georgia Southern for a weekend series.
This match was a perfect example of the Knights’ biggest stars getting out and doing what they needed to in order for the team to do well. Rutgers had all the stars aligned, and its most notable player Lasko had his best game so far this season with three hits and two runs batted in (RBIs).
Freshman outfielder Trevor Cohen, fresh off his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week award, had three base knocks, crossed the plate three times and scored two RBIs.
This road series against the Eagles (7-4, 0-0) is a must-win for the Knights after having a rather rough start to the season. Their most recent slate against UNC Greensboro ended in a disappointing sweep, and a winning series is just the thing Rutgers needs for it to continue on its quest to an NCAA championship bid.
The road trip to Statesboro, Georgia, will bring the Knights to Georgia Southern’s J.I. Clements Stadium.
Rutgers will need its biggest stars to produce if it wants to chip away at its losing record. Specifically, the Knights will need their pitching to come out strong to keep the Eagles’ offense quiet. Georgia Southern has had several high-scoring games this season, which Rutgers will be looking to silence.
The Knights will get their first chance against the Eagles at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night. All three of the games over the weekend will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
For more updates on the Rutgers baseball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
