May 4, 2004
Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (www.lafayette.edu) - A fourth-inning sacrifice fly by Tim Querns scored Johnny Defendis with the game's lone run as Rutgers (26-16) claimed a 1-0 win over Lafayette (22-23) in non-league baseball action on Tuesday.
Rutgers starter Chris Rini allowed just one Leopard hit, a sixth-inning single by Eric Vacca, in claiming his first win of the season.
Despite allowing 11 hits, Lafayette starter Matt Revelle, and later reliever John Fugett, pitched out of nearly every jam to keep the Leopards in the contest. After allowing back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the first and seeing both runners advance a base on a double steal, Revelle recorded a strikeout, got an out via a rundown between third and home and induced an inning-ending ground ball to first.
Defendis led off the fourth with a double, then moved to third on a single by Steve Hook. Querns' sac fly to left plated Defendis one batter later. The Scarlet Knights would put runners on second and third with two outs, but Revelle got out of the inning allowing just the lone run.
Rutgers would again threaten in the seventh, Fugett's first inning of work. Two singles and a passed ball put runners on second and third with one out, but Fugett struck out Defendis and Nick Cerulo chopped one back to Fugett that the freshman hurler handled himself.
Meanwhile, Rini and O.J. DeChristofno combined to strike out eight Leopards while walking just two.
Revelle and Fugett allowed 11 hits to the top-hitting club in the Big East, but struck out four and walked just three. Tuesday's game was just the second time in 42 games that Rutgers was held under two runs.
Lafayette's final tuneup prior to this weekend's Patriot League Tournament is a non-league date with Temple on Wednesday. First pitch at Lafayette's Class of 1978 Stadium is slated for 3:30 p.m.
