Galloway, NJ – Stockton University (10-24, 5-10 NJAC) could not hold a late lead and dropped a tough 6-4 game to Rutgers-Newark (13-20, 5-10 NJAC) on Thursday afternoon. It was the final home game for the Ospreys for the season.
 
For Stockton
Michael Antonucci (Manasquan/Manasquan) had two of the nine Osprey hits in the game, with an RBI.
 
Nick Avagnano (Paramus/Paramus) and Yenuelle Rodriguez (Vineland/Vineland) had the other two RBI on the day.
 
Joe Gmitter (Hamilton/Steinert), Jimmy Casey (Newtown, PA/Archbishop Wood), Matthew McCloskey (Cinnaminson/Cinnaminson) and Avagnano scored the runs for Stockton.
 
Nick Kowalewski (Point Pleasant/Point Pleasant Boro) had his third straight quality start, tossing seven innings, allowing five hits, two unearned runs and struck out four.
 
How it Happened
Both teams scored two runs in the third inning until Stockton took a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth frame. Casey was hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Rodriguez plated him with a sacrifice fly to make it 3-2.
 
Gmitter singled, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch just as Casey had done. Antonucci scored him with a single to make it 4-2.
 
The lead would last until the eighth inning, when the Scarlet Raiders scored four runs on three hits to take a 6-4 advantage. Stockton could not muster a rally over the final two at bats, and the contest ended with the visitors capturing the two-run victory.
 
For Rutgers-Newark
Michael Weinbel, Joseph Bernardo, and Daniel Federico had two hits each, with Federico driving in a pair of runs.
 
Luke Hagen pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win.
 
Next Game
Stockton will travel to Newark, NJ tomorrow to finish the home-and home series. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 pm.