Men’s baseball ends slide with 6–5 win against Rutgers

On Wednesday, men’s baseball (3–10) defeated the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights (13—9) 6—5 at Rutgers, ending the team’s two-game losing streak. On a cloudy evening at Bainton Field in Piscataway, N.J., the Tigers earned victory against their local rivals.

Rutgers scored first with Nick Matera hitting a single to right-center, batting in Mike Nyisztor in bottom of the third inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, Princeton roared back with four runs, three hits, and leaving two on base. Junior infielder Joseph Flynn grounded one out to third base, allowing sophomore infielder David Harding to score, unearned. Sophomore outfielder Conor Nolan then homered out of right field, earning junior outfielder Jesper Horsted and senior infielder Asher Lee-Tyson each a run.

At the bottom of the fifth, Rutgers came back to tie the game 4—4 with Matera hitting a double and allowing Jawuan Harris and Nyisztor to score.

In the next inning, Princeton scored two more, with sophomore outfielder and left-handed pitcher Chris Davis and Lee-Tyson each clinching a run thanks to Nolan. Rutgers responded in the bottom of the sixth with another run by Nyisztor as a result of a hit by Harris.

The game wrapped up at the bottom of the ninth inning 6—5.

Their all-time record with Rutgers now stands at 74—77—3.

The last time Princeton squared off against Rutgers was in 2012, when the Tigers fell in a close game at Bainton Field. The Tigers held a lead over the Rutgers until the eighth inning, when the game became tied. Then, in the bottom of the ninth inning, Rutgers’ Nick Favletta hit a solo homer and clinched the game for the Scarlet Knights.

In the last game before Wednesday’s against Rutgers, the Tigers lost to the University of Richmond Spiders (15—9) on March 19. Despite a home run from Flynn and runs by Nolan and Davis, the Tigers fell short.

Last weekend, the Tigers had been set to take on Harvard for three games at home in their Ivy League opening series. The games, however, were cancelled due to snow from the recent nor’easter and a suitable venue was not found in time. The games will take place on future dates.

Now, first up in the Ivy League for Princeton is Cornell University (2–9). The team will take on the Big Red this weekend in a three-game series taking place over Saturday and Sunday. Last season, the Tigers won two and lost two against Cornell, finishing in fourth behind the Big Red in the Lou Gehrig division of the Ivy League conference.

The Tigers are hoping for better conference play than last year, where they finished with a record of 7—13. Their hopes lie parallel to their 2016 season, which culminated with an Ivy League championship victory.