Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
Rutgers
Players Mentioned
Baseball Wins Seventh Straight, 11-8 at Rutgers
April 06, 2011 | Baseball
LINKS: Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (4/5/11) - The Princeton baseball team extended its season-long winning streak to seven games with an 11-8 win at Rutgers on Tuesday afternoon. Princeton had a season's best 21 hits in the win led by Mike Ford and Sam Mulroy with four hits apiece.
Princeton rallied from a pair of deficits in the win as Rutgers had leads of 3-0 in the second inning and 5-3 in the fourth. After Rutgers went ahead 3-0 in the second inning, Princeton answered with three runs of its own in the top of the third inning. The frame began with four straight singles from Steve Harrington, Ryan Albert, Andrew Whitener and Alec Keller. Keller's single to left drove in the first Princeton run, while a sac fly off the bat of John Mishu and a Ford single drew Princeton even.
Rutgers regained the lead in the fourth but Princeton answered two innings later to take a 6-5 lead with three runs in the sixth inning. Princeton had three hits in the inning also took advantage of two Rutgers errors to gain its first lead of the day.
Ford began the inning with a single and a Matt Bowman double put runners on second and third. Nate Baird then hit an infield single to plate Ford but Bowman was unable to advance. Harrington tried to bunt the runners over but an error by Rutgers pitcher Dan O'Neill allowed Harrington to reach and Mulroy to score. In the following at-bat, Baird tried to go home on a pitch that got away from Rutgers catcher Jeff Melillo. Melillo chased down the ball had Baird stuck between third and home, but as Baird ran back to third, Melillo's throw hit Baird in the back and bounced away, allowing Baird to come home and give Princeton the lead.
Rutgers evened the score at 7-7 in the seventh when a lead off double and a single from Russ Hopkins plated a run, but Princeton quickly countered with a four-run eight to take the lead for good.
Princeton had four runs on four hits and two Rutgers errors in the frame. Harrington singled and was replaced at first base by Tom Boggiano. Alex Flink tried to bunt him over and did, but also reached on an error. A bunt then moved the runners to second and third and an error allowed Alec Keller to reach base and load the bases. Bowman then hit a sac fly to plate the first Princeton run and successive singles from Mishu, Ford and Mulroy pushed across the next three runs.
The Tigers added a run in the ninth when Boggiano hit a lead-off double over the head of Rutgers left fielder Joe D'Annunzio and came around to score on a single from Keller. Rutgers would add two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but Princeton reliever Ryan Makis got a groundout and a fly out to end the game with won runner left on base.
A.J. Goetz improved to 2-1 with the win. He pitched four innings of relief and allowed one run on four hits while fanning four. Makis allowed two runs on two hits in 1.1 innings and earned his first save. Starter Michael Fagan allowed five runs in 3.2 innings. For Rutgers, Dan O'Neill took the loss in relief. He allowed four runs, all unearned on six hits in 2.2 innings of relief.
Princeton is now 10-13 overall on the heels of its seven-game winning streak. The Tigers will visit Harvard and Dartmouth this weekend for Ivy League doubleheaders.