FLEMINGTON, N.J. - Mount Saint Mary College sophomore Vinnie Carminati (Huntington, N.Y.) hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Knights to a 3-2 win over Rutgers-Newark in non-conference action on Tuesday evening.  MSMC is now 3-2 overall.

With the game tied at 1-1 headed to the ninth, junior Michael Morelli (Washingtonville, N.Y.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  Morelli moved to second on a groundout by senior Max Tecce (Glen Cove, N.Y.), bringing Carminati to the dish.  The sophomore crushed a towering, two-run homer to right field to give the Knights a 3-1 advantage.  MSMC would load the bases again in the ninth, but junior Michael Matuk (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) flew out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Mount freshman Ryan Gerhart (Winfield, N.J.) walked the leadoff man, who later scored on a sacrifice fly to make it a one-run game.  With runners at first and second, however, Gerhart picked up a stirkeout for the second out of the inning and then induced a line drive to second base to end the game.

The Knights struck first in the fourth inning as senior John Conroy (Middletown, N.Y.) led off the inning with a triple and then scored on a groundout by Tecce.

The starting pitcher for the Mount, freshman Andrew Conn (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) worked the first seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits.  Gerhart pitched the last two frames and earned the win.  He didn't allow a hit, but walked three.

Carminati finished 2-for-4, as did Conroy.  Rutgers-Newark senior Chris Ballester (Freehold, N.J.) was 3-for-3 to lead the Scarlet Raiders.

Mount Saint Mary heads to Florida for its annual Spring Break trip next week.  The Knights will play six games starting with RPI on March 11.