PISCATAWAY, NJ – Monmouth University Baseball (12-14) took a lead into the eighth inning before falling at Rutgers University (22-6) on Tuesday afternoon, 9-4. Reed Interdonato threw three shutout innings on the mound, and Joey Ventresca had two hits on the day for MU.
 
Interdonato was strong for his three innings, limiting Rutgers to just one hit and no runs. After the Scarlet Knights took the lead in the fourth, Monmouth used a big sixth inning to take the lead. Casey Caufield and Robbie Holmes singled to start it off, and James Harmstead put a ball deep in the six-hole that was thrown away to third, allowing Caufield to score and tie the game. Ventresca followed with a two-run single up the middle, and the Hawks added another on a double play to lead 4-1.
 
Rutgers got two back on sacrifice flies in the sixth before putting together a bottom of the eighth that included six runs to take the 9-4 lead, the eventual final.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Our guys battled. We were one pitch away from finishing the eighth inning with a 4-3 lead, and unfortunately, we were unable to do so. Reed threw the ball well in his first start since opening weekend." – Head Coach Dean Ehehalt
 
-Joey Ventresca posted his sixth multi-hit game this season and second in a row.
-Reed Interdonato notched his fourth scoreless outing this season.
-Casey Caufield extended his reached base streak to 22 games, and has been on base in all but one game he's played in this season.
-Matt Choi pitched in his second outing of the season, recording a strikeout in each.
-Andrew Schmid made his second straight start at shortstop.
-Monmouth is now 1-1 against the Big Ten this season.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
 
-Rutgers made the lone error of the game.
-Reed Interdonato went three innings in his start, allowing one hit and no runs.
-Jake Fraher took the loss for Monmouth, allowing three runs.
-Sam Portnoy got the win for Rutgers.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth takes on Columbia tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. in West Long Branch.