Rutgers Scarlet Knights Baseball Falls to Fordham Ahead of Big Ten Conference Opener

Scarlet Knights Baseball drops tight game to Fordham

Peyton Bonds, nephew of legendary baseball player Barry Bonds, is poised for a big season this year with Rutgers. | Rutgers Athletics

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights baseball team faced a final litmus test on Wednesday afternoon. They were looking to polish their play before the intensity of the conference schedule begins. However, the tune-up didn't go quite as planned. In a seesaw battle defined by defensive miscues and late-inning shifts, Rutgers fell narrowly to the Fordham Rams with a final score of 8–7.

Early Fordham Surge Puts Rutgers Scarlet Knights Behind

Entering the matchup with a 9–7 overall record, the Scarlet Knights were hoping to build on the momentum of a recent Tuesday victory.

Final from Bainton Field. pic.twitter.com/XvyPEo0FKi

— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) March 11, 2026

Instead, they met a resilient Fordham squad that improved to 6–9 after clawing back from a mid-game deficit. Freshman starting pitcher Henry Radbill struggled to find his rhythm early, allowing the first three Fordham batters he faced to reach base safely. This immediate pressure allowed the Rams to manufacture an early run, putting Rutgers on the defensive before they had even picked up a bat.

The situation worsened shortly after, when Madden Ocko stepped to the plate and delivered a stinging two-run double. In the blink of an eye, Fordham had jumped out to a 3–0 lead, leaving the Scarlet Knights with an early mountain to climb in the top of the first inning.

In an action-packed bottom half of the first, Rutgers’ hitters went to work. Sophomore infielder Yomar Carreras got the team on the board by driving in a run on a ground ball. The pressure intensified when junior infielder Charlie Meglio crushed a deep ball toward the outfield. Fordham outfielder Mason Dean made a spectacular diving attempt.

However, he failed to corral the ball. The misplay allowed another run to cross the plate and rattled the Fordham dugout enough to prompt an early call to the bullpen, bringing in reliever Declan Cawley to stem the tide.

While the middle innings are often where games settle into a rhythm, the bottom of the fourth proved to be a chaotic turning point. Rutgers managed to orchestrate a major rally without the benefit of a single base hit in the frame.

Senior outfielder Quinten Perilli was then hit by a pitch, forcing in a run. The defensive collapse for the Rams continued as a passed ball and a subsequent throwing error allowed Rutgers to pull level. Meglio then capped the rally with a sacrifice fly, giving Rutgers its first lead of the afternoon at 6–5.

Rutgers Extends the Lead in the Fifth

The Scarlet Knights continued to punish Fordham for their defensive mishaps in the fifth inning. Sophomore outfielder Jack Sweeney, appearing as a pinch-hitter, showed great plate discipline to earn a walk. He quickly advanced to third base thanks to another Fordham error and a wild pitch.

Sweeney eventually touched home plate on a sacrifice fly, extending the Rutgers lead to 7–5. At this stage, the Scarlet Knights seemed to have the game under control. The Rams managed to chip away at the lead by scoring solitary runs in both the third and fourth innings, both coming via timely RBI singles.

Throughout the afternoon, the Rams displayed an impressive ability to hit with runners in scoring position, finishing that category 5 for 12. This steady offensive pressure ensured that even when Rutgers held the lead, Fordham remained within a single swing of tying the game.

Rutgers turned to relief pitcher Matthew Cruz to protect the two-run cushion. However, the Rams refused to go quietly. Cruz struggled with his command, eventually walking in a run before a sacrifice fly knotted the game at 7–7.

Just as it appeared Rutgers might escape the jam with the tie intact, Jack Rubin delivered the most significant hit of the game. Rubin laced a base hit that drove in the go-ahead run, propelling Fordham to an 8–7 lead and leaving the Rutgers dugout stunned.

When the dust settled, the box score revealed the primary reason for the Scarlet Knights' defeat: missed opportunities. Despite the four-run fourth inning, Rutgers struggled to find the "big hit" when it mattered most, ultimately leaving 10 runners on base. It was a frustrating regression after the strides made in their previous outing, as the team failed to convert high-leverage moments into enough runs to offset Fordham's late surge.

Rutgers will host the Michigan State Spartans for their conference opener at Bainton Field on the Livingston campus this Friday. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. For fans unable to attend in person, the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network Plus and 88.7 WRSU-FM.

---

---

Stay up to date on the Scarlet Knights by bookmarking  Rutgers On SI.