Rutgers Baseball off to Flying Start with Opening Day Shutout
RUTGERS 4 – HOUSTON BAPTIST 0
Four no-hit innings by Brian Fitzpatrick paved the way for an opening day 4-0 victory for Rutgers, as it began a three game series down in Houston to open the 2022 season. The shutout was the first of its kind to open a season for Rutgers since 1978.
Fitzpatrick gave up only a walk and hit one batter on 58 pitches. He struck out seven.
“Fitz really went to another level in the offseason,” Rutgers Manager Steve Owens said. “He became a more complete pitcher with his repertoire, conditioning and execution. A 6-foot-7 lefty attacking the strike zone with three pitches is tough to score on.”
"It's been a lot of hard work these past three years to get back to where I want to be."
— Rutgers Baseball (@RutgersBaseball) February 18, 2022
Brian Fitzpatrick & Sam Bello following the 4-0 win...#RBaseball #TCD pic.twitter.com/Qj7TdSFLr1
Offensively, the Scarlet Knights chipped away all afternoon. RU scratched out the first run of the day when Ryan Lasko advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a error by Houston Baptist catcher Tyler LaRue to make it a 1-0 ball game.
Rutgers made it 2-0 on a ground out RBI by Tony Santa Maria in the top of the fourth inning.
Back-to-back doubles by Lasko and Nick Cimillo plated the final two runs of the afternoon for Rutgers in the fifth.
Sam Bellow got the victory for Rutgers after pitching 4.1 shutout innings, scattering three hits, walking a pair and striking out three.
Rutgers and Houston Baptist will play again Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
