The Scarlet Raiders got a pair of complete game victories by their starting pitchers Sunday as senior Stephen Rice worked seven innings and allowed just five hits and three runs, while striking out eight and walking two, in the 9-3 win in the first game, while senior Travis Bilak worked eight innings and gave up 12 hits and three runs to go with five strikeouts and one walk in a 5-3 extra-inning win in game two.
 

Rutgers jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the third inning in game one, chasing Tiger starter Brock Ward (Lanexa, VA/New Kent) who allowed seven hits and five earned runs in two and one-third innings of work.  The Scarlet Raiders used a four-run second, in which Brent DiMarco drove in two, to jump out on the Tigers, then added two more in the third as DiMarco drove in his third run of the game. 

Hampden-Sydney rallied to cut the Scarlet Raider lead to three by the fifth inning as Todd Harrell (Chesapeake, VA/Nansemond-Suffolk) and Chris Padgett (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown) each drove in runs.  However, Rutgers put the game out-of-reach with three runs in the top of the seventh as Tom Csigi and David Sica each had RBI hits, while another run scored on a passed ball. 

Hampden-Sydney was the aggressor in game two as the Tigers scored in the first, fourth and fifth innings to take a 3-1 advantage.  The first inning run came courtesy a RBI double by Tommy Burk (Leesburg, VA/Loudoun County) while John Schoenholtz (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia/McCallie) recorded his first collegiate hit and RBI in the fourth inning to plate Burk, who led off the inning with a triple.  The final Tiger run of the game came in the fifth as Padgett drove in Jay Lilley (Chesapeake, VA/Western Branch). 

Trailing 3-1 heading into the sixth, the Scarlet Raiders tied the game as David Sica and Tom Callari each drove in runs.  Then, in the eighth inning, Sica put the game away with a solo homer over the left field fence to give Rutgers a 3-1 series advantage over the Tigers on the weekend. Tiger reliever Daniel Hadra (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee) was the hard luck loser as he entered the game with the Tigers on top, 3-1, but surrendered four runs (two earned) on six hits over the final three innings of play. 

Hampden-Sydney will look to return to its winning ways Wednesday, March 1, as the Tigers host St. Mary’s (Md.) at 3 pm at Yank Bernier Field.