PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers baseball made winning plays on the mound, in the field and at the plate to secure a 6-4 victory over No. 21 Nebraska in Sunday afternoon’s rubber game to clinch the series victory.
The Scarlet Knights (22-13, 3-6) were down 3-0 early but took the lead in the fifth and never looked back to beat the Cornhuskers (23-10, 6-3) and earn their first ranked series win since sweeping Nebraska on the road in 2021.
For the third straight game, the Cornhuskers struck first, this time with a sac fly in the second and RBI single in the third. Josh Kuroda-Grauer roped an RBI double down the line in the bottom of the third to get a run back and make it 2-1.
After Nebraska hit a solo home run in the fourth, Jackson Natili answered with a solo homer of his own in the bottom half to keep RU within a run at 3-2. Kuroda-Grauer tied it later in the inning with another RBI, this one a single into right.
Cam Love worked a bases-loaded walk in the fifth to give Rutgers a 4-3 lead. Johnny Volpe gave the Scarlet Knights a big insurance run in the seventh with a solo home run that extended the advantage to 5-3.
Nebraska kept the pressure on RU pitching and scored on a passed ball in the eighth. With runners on the corners and two outs, Joey DeChiaro came in to get the final out of the inning and strand them on base.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kuroda-Grauer walked, stole second and went to third on a deep flyout from Ty Doucette. Tony Santa Maria hit a grounder to third and Kuroda-Grauer beat the throw home to make it 6-4.
DeChiaro remained in the game and threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his fifth save of the season.
Ben Gorski gave Rutgers a massive lift out of the bullpen, coming in for the fourth inning after NU’s solo home run and pitching three scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit a struck out three, earning the win to improve to 4-3.
Donovan Zsak pitched the seventh and kept Nebraska off the board. Joe Mazza pitched the eighth and got the first two outs before making way for DeChiaro.
In total, the RU bullpen pitched six innings, allowing just one unearned run on three hits, while striking out four Cornhuskers in a big effort.
Rutgers will return to action this Tuesday against Monmouth for a 3 p.m. first pitch at Bainton Field.
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