Hackettstown, NJ: Centenary baseball battled back from an early deficit but ultimately fell to Rutgers-Newark, 13–6, on Wednesday afternoon in Hackettstown.
The Scarlet Raiders jumped out quickly, plating three runs in the first and two more in the second to take a 5–0 lead. The Cyclones responded in the third when Simeon Reed and Nick Friscia both scored on a two-run double by Joseph Frei, cutting the deficit to 5–2.
Centenary continued to chip away in the fourth. Dylan Pyle drove in a run with a groundout and RJ Fiore followed with an RBI single to bring the Cyclones within one at 5–4. After Rutgers-Newark pushed the lead to 7–4 in the fifth on a two-run homer, Centenary again answered in the sixth. Reed was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Frei delivered an RBI single to make it a one-run game at 7–6.
Rutgers-Newark broke the game open in the seventh, scoring four runs on five hits to build an 11–6 advantage, and added two more insurance runs in the ninth.
Frei led the Cyclones offensively, going 2-for-5 with three RBI. Reed finished 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Myles Castillo and Nick Friscia each recorded two hits. Mike DeSena scored twice for Centenary. On the mound, Milan Raparelli took the loss in the start. The Cyclones bullpen combined for seven-plus innings of relief, highlighted by scoreless work from Anthony Aguilera.
Centenary will look to bounce back in its next contest as the early season continues.
