MYRTLE BEACH, SC – Rutgers-Newark had its chances but fell to Neumann, 13-5, in its season opener at the Ripken Experience.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Senior first baseman Chris Ballester, who went two for four, singled to load the bases with no one out in the top of the seventh with the Scarlet Raiders trailing, 6-4.  But Knight reliever Jarad Carney struck out the middle of the R-N lineup to escape the jam.  Freshmen Shane Nolan, who was pinch hitting, and Andrew Nasti singled ahead of Ballester in the seventh.

Neumann (1-0) piled on three runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth to break open the game.

Sophomore outfielder Jimmy Napolitano stroked an RBI triple in the third to put the Raiders on the board after the Knights got to R-N starter Connor Medler for four runs in the second.

Senior catcher Anthony Palladino had an RBI double in the sixth which cut the Raider deficit to 6-4 after sophomore reliever Michael Garcia came on to stall the Knights' attack in the fifth.

Junior centerfielder Dave Kalish, who went four for four for Neumann, had an RBI single in the 4-run second and another in the 4-run eighth to help fuel a 16-hit attack.  Senior third baseman Kevin Flanigan went three for three with two doubles – including a 2-run double in the fifth inning which staked the Knights to a 6-2 lead.

Medler (0-1) went 4-1/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits while striking out four and walking two.

Junior lefty ace Russ Gilliam, who helped Neumann lead NCAA D-III in strikeouts per game in 2011, fanned nine Raiders in 5-2/3 innings while yielding four runs on four hits and a walk.  He got the win while helping the Knight staff post 16 strikeouts.

Rutgers-Newark takes on St. Joseph's of Brooklyn in a doubleheader on Saturday.  The first pitch is set for 2 p.m.