After a strong opening weekend series versus Kennesaw State, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights took a step backward. The Scarlet Knights went 1-3 last weekend versus Grand Canyon and needed a huge comeback to avoid the four-game sweep.
The Rutgers pitching staff struggled on the mound after looking good versus Kennesaw State. A freshman hitter stepped up after Rutgers lost one of their infielders to injury. Rutgers needs to move quickly with a tough opponent coming up this weekend. Here are three takeaways from the Rutgers-Grand Canyon series
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1. Pitching continues to woe the Scarlet Knights
The Rutgers pitching staff was one of the main reasons for Rutgers’ struggles in 2024. With a brand-new pitching staff, the Scarlet Knights seemed they might have fixed those issues versus Kennesaw State.
However, the Scarlet Knights had another bad weekend on the mound, which cost them at least one game. The weekend rotation was solid for the most part, but the bullpen struggled with throwing strikes and missing barrels.
The Grand Canyon Antelopes have a good hitting team but it doesn’t excuse what happened last weekend. The Scarlet Knights allowed at least seven runs in their four games versus Grand Canyon. Rutgers had a 9.29 team ERA and Grand Canyon had a .351 team batting average last weekend.
2. Nick Tomasetto’s breakout series
Redshirt freshman infielder Nick Tomasetto didn’t win a starting job to begin the season. However, when the freshman shortstop Yomar Carreras went down with an ankle injury, Tomasetto got his opportunity and played very well this weekend.
At the plate, Tomasetto went 6-for-19 (.316 batting average) with six hits, two doubles, one run scored, seven RBIs, and a .737 OPS. Tomasetto also played good defense recording six outs and no errors.
With Carreras’s availability up in the air, Tomasetto should get consistent playing time. Tomasetto was one of the best-run producers for the Scarlet Knights last weekend and could play a large role in their next weekend series.
3. Turn the page and get ready for Coastal Carolina
After a disappointing weekend series against Grand Canyon, the Scarlet Knights need to turn the page and get ready for this week’s matchups. Rutgers will have their home opener versus St. Joseph’s on Tuesday.
After their midweek game, Rutgers is back on the road for a three-game weekend series versus Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers are 6-2 on the season with wins versus Kansas State, Washington, NC State, and Ohio State.
Coastal Carolina is a well-rounded team with a quality offense and pitching staff. On the season, Coastal Carolina is batting .295 with 18 doubles, 10 home runs, and a .894 OPS. They also have a 3.91 team ERA with a .190 opponent batting average.
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