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Rutgers’ professor gender wage gap from 6 to 8% BRENDAN BRIGHTMAN NEWS EDITOR
Rutgers American Association of University Professors and American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT) announced on Facebook last night at approximately 10 p.m. that it was making progress and would stay at the bargaining table “round the clock” until a deal was reached to avert a strike. One of the issues the union raised concern about was the gender wage gap among all Rutgers tenured or tenure-track faculty, which is approximately 6 to 8%, said Mark Killingsworth, a professor in the Department of Economics, who did a study using regression analysis to find the statistic. “It takes into account race, age, years at Rutgers and divisions within the University,” Kllingsworth said.
Within individual departments and schools, the difference may be nonexistent, less or greater, Killingsworth said. Yet when salaries of males and females among every faculty rank are compared, the gap is approximately $7,000 to $11,000 per year. The percentage differences are more useful because the dollar differences keep changing over time. A dollar in 2005 is not worth the same as a dollar in 2019, he said. “If you look at people within the same rank, who are also the same within the other factors,” Killingsworth said. “The differences are smaller, which is not surprising and what that says is there may well be differences adverse to women in access to rank.” While Killingsworth’s analysis does not consider why this exists, the difference in access to SEE GAP ON PAGE 5
Sakai breakdown on April 6 due to storage issues APARNA RAGUPATHI CORRESPONDENT
Deepa Kumar, president of AAUP-AFT and an associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, holds up a sign for closing the wage gap. GARRETT STEFFE / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR
At 6:55 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, the online student platform Sakai went down due to server storage issues and was back up by 3:51 a.m. the following Sunday morning. “Office of Information Technology (OIT) staff members responded quickly on Saturday night to identify the problem, find a solution and minimize the impact on Rutgers students and faculty,” said Allan Hoffman, director of IT Communications and Marketing. Hoffman said that this outage is an anomaly. SEE ISSUES ON PAGE 5
Communications is in top 15% nationwide JAKE MCGOWAN CORRESPONDENT
The School of Communication and Information, which was founded in 1982 and is located on the College Avenue campus, is home to classes on public relations, journalism, information technology and social media. THE DAILY TARGUM
A report from College Factual ranked Rutgers’ Communication and Media Studies program in the top 15% of all similar programs in the country. One of the focuswes of the Department of Communications is the digital environment that society has become, according to the School of Communication and Information website. Founded in 1982, the school’s research and teaching focuses specifically on organizational communication, social media, library and information science and journalism and information technology. “The school’s competitive and renowned programs prepare students for top careers in today’s digital environment,” according to the website. The school was founded after merging with the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, the School of Communication Studies and the Department of Urban Journalism. Rutgers’ Communication and Media Studies program was also ranked second in the state of New Jersey. College Factual reported that graduates of the school outearn students at other colleges by “a significant amount.” Mary Chayko, a professor of Communication and Information and director of Undergraduate
VOLUME 151, ISSUE 46 • UNIVERSITY ... 3 • OPINIONS ... 6 • INSIDE BEAT... 8• DIVERSIONS ... 9• SPORTS ... BACK
Interdisciplinary Studies at the School of Communication and Information, gave further insight on the success of the program, as well as what students learn about. “Students at SCI are provided with skills, tools and understandings to help them succeed in today’s constantly changing communication, information and media environments,” she said. “Whether they’re interested in social media, public relations, journalism, information technology and informatics, organizational communication or many other fields of study, SCI helps students prepare for top careers in all kinds of settings.” Jack Bratich, an associate professor of Journalism and Media Studies, also spoke about the importance of the School of Communication and Information. “Our wide range of faculty backgrounds and approaches creates a holistic learning environment that equips students with the analytic and ethical tools they need to become successful, socially conscious professionals,” he said. When asked about the success of the Department of Communications, Chayko credited the faculty for their work, as well as the research that it does. “It’s our world-class faculty. Some of the top professors and researchers in the world who SEE COMMUNICATIONS ON PAGE 4
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April 16, 2019
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Campus Calendar TUESDAY 4/16 European Studies and Department of Political Science present “From Alterglobalization to Gezi Park Protests: Street Politics in Contemporary Turkey” from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Rutgers Academic Building on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy presents “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Government Segregated America” from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Civic Square Building on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public. WEDNESDAY 4/17 Students for Environmental Awareness and Rutger Take Back the Tap present “’Mann v Ford’ Film Screening (SEA EARTH WEEK)” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Douglass Student Center on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics presents “April is National Social Security Month: What Everyone
Needs to Know About Social Security” from noon to 1 p.m. at Food Science and Nutritional Sciences Building West on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public. THURSDAY 4/18 Ecology and Evolution Graduate Program presents “Dr. Doug Zemeckis ‘Investigating the Movements, Stock Structure, and Mortality of Marine Fishes Using Electronic Tagging’” from 4 to 5 p.m. at Marine Sciences Building on Cook campus. This event is free and open to the public. Institute for Research on Women presents “Whose Lives Matter? Drugs, Criminalization and Social Justice” from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Ruth Dill Johnson Crockett Building on Douglass campus. This event is free and open to the public. FRIDAY 4/19 Rutgers University Libraries presents “Visualizing Difference: The Art and Architecture of Alterity” from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus. This event is free and open to the public.
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April 16, 2019
UNIVERSITY
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Rutgers students learn biology of wine in course CINDY XIE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Every year, more than 50 students sign up for the Wine Insights course taught at Rutgers, but approximately 10 of them drop when they realize what the class entails. “It’s not a course where you sip wine and get an A,” said Lena Brattsten, a professor in the Department of Entomology and the creator of the course. Wine Insights is a one-credit, comprehensive class about wine biology. It covers topics such as grape-growing, wine-making, winetasting techniques, wine and health issues and foods that match with wine, according to the description on the Rutgers website. One of the learning objectives of the course is to develop an understanding of wine, from grape varieties to the drink’s possible health hazards. Another objective is how to choose a wine, which means understanding the differences between wines in European countries, Northern American countries and countries in the Southern hemisphere, according to the website. “Some students may be surprised by how comprehensive it is,” Brattsten said.
While most prerequisites are other courses that must be taken prior, the prerequisite for Wine Insights is age. The course is only open to undergraduate students who are seniors and are at least 21 years of age, due to part of the curriculum involving wine tasting. Brattsten said three wine tastings are held every semester as a part of the course. Each of the tastings have a different theme, such as focusing on wines of different prices or wine from certain regions. Some of the students come into the class with a genuine interest in the subject of wine, such as Brendan Francy, a School of Engineering senior. “I’ve always been interested in wine. I definitely had a strong influence from my parents, who’ve always enjoyed it and thought it would be really interesting and cool to take (the course),” he said. Other students come in with no background knowledge of wine. Jessica Murray, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, said she was surprised by the science involved in the process of winemaking. “I didn’t really come into the class with a ton of background knowledge, but it’s a lot of
Lena Brattsten, a professor in the Department of Entomology and creator of the Wine Insights course, said the class involves three wine tastings held during the semester. Each of these tastings has a different theme, such as price or region of origin. COURTESY OF CINDY XIE chemistry … there is a lot of chemistry and science that goes into it, which was kind of surprising for me,” she said. Wine Insights explains many aspects of wine, from
the sensor y process, to the wine-making process, to even a cultural histor y of the drink. Brattsten said it also helps students who make the decision to purchase wine.
“They learn to understand what it is they like and what it is they don’t like about a wine, so they can more easily buy wines they will be happy with,” she said.
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April 16, 2019
COMMUNICATIONS Chayko says faculty members deserve credit for their work, research CONTINUED FROM FRONT
specialize in communication, information and media are here at SCI,” Chayko said. Students in the School of Communication and Information share similar sentiments. Keyur Palan, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, highlighted the school’s use of hybrid scheduling, which includes numerous online classes. “Most of the courses are hybrid, so it’s a break from the regular class routine, because you only go to class once a week, and then the other classes are online,” Palan said. New Brunswick in particular is a good spot for the School of Communication and Information’s students, Chayko said, because the culture of the city provides them with content to focus on. “It’s loaded with places to go and things to do, some of which are at Rutgers and some of which are in town. There are lots of stories to tell in this busy, thriving area, and SCI students learn the most interesting, effective ways to tell and share these stories,” Chayko said. The train station also provides access to larger cities, where students may find more opportunities, she said. New York City is the second best city for entertainment, media and public relations jobs, all of which are covered by the School of Communication and Information, according to Forbes.
Outside of the potential financial benefits, students in the School of Communication and Information find the coursework enjoyable. Palan also said that he personally enjoys the curriculum. “It’s also a quick paced curriculum, so it’s enjoyable compared to all the other curriculums that are offered,” Palan said. Bratich expanded on the importance of giving students the well rounded experience, and said the Department of Communications needed help students be both intellectuals and give them practical experience. “As a professional school, we understand the need to place students in a world where they can become leaders and innovators in the growing media, communication and information industries,” Bratich said. Chayko added that the skills necessary to perform in the world are taught at the School of Communication and Information. “The world around us is changing rapidly, and information and communication technologies and media are at the heart of these changes. We need to understand this world and use these tools expertly to be productive and safe in it, and to be of assistance to those around us as well. These are survival skills in the digital age, and SCI equips students with them,” she said.
The New Brunswick train station is close to campus, which allows students to easily commute to New York City for internships and jobs. The culture of the city also provides students with content to focus on. THE DAILY TARGUM
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April 16, 2019
GAP Rutgers AAUP-AFT says they will stay late at bargaining table to prevent strike CONTINUED FROM FRONT
higher positions may be due to discrimination, he said. But it could also be because females have less experience due to factors such as having children or having less leverage depending on the number of schools that want to hire them. Killingsworth said the wage discrepancies most likely begin with a faculty member’s starting salary, which was not a factor in the study, he said. When a person is hired, they negotiate their salaries with their department chair, which then goes to the dean of the school and to higher-up administrators. Male-female pay equity has become an issue during the AAUPAFT strike plans, Killingsworth said. The union is asking for equal pay for equal work. “The University agrees with the union that all faculty should
be compensated fairly, and our negotiating team is working with the union’s team to develop a process to evaluate salary equity,” said Dory Devlin, senior director of University News and Media Relations. The administration is also working with the union’s team on issues of teaching assistant, graduate assistant and part-time lecturer compensation, Devlin said. “We have made good progress on many other issues and we expect that the teams will reach agreement on the remaining issues in the very near future,” she said. “The University community recognizes that our unionized employees are vital to our mission of teaching, research and service. We remain optimistic that we will soon be able to reach successful contracts with all of our remaining unions that will be mutually acceptable and beneficial for all parties.”
ISSUES Rutgers did not send students anything when Sakai broke down, Nguyen says CONTINUED FROM FRONT
“IT professionals in the OIT completed performance improvements for Sakai in midDecember, following intermittent performance and availability issues last fall. These changes have resulted in improved reliability for Sakai in recent months, the recent unrelated Saturday evening outage not withstanding,” he said. The outage ended up affecting a number of students in its 9-hour duration. “I logged onto Sakai around 1 a.m. on Sunday to study for my psychology exam and noticed there was a “time out” message. I couldn’t do anything, so I just studied for another class,” said Diana Nguyen, a School of Arts and Sciences first-year. Other students expressed similar sentiments. “I wasn’t able to open study materials I needed that night,” said Pooja Agrawal, an Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy firstyear. “All my online resources were on Sakai and I wasn’t able to get all my work done.” Students were also frustrated with the University’s communication, or lack thereof, Nguyen said. “The University did not communicate with the students at all. They should have sent out an email informing us on the situation because I wasn’t sure if it was just my account or everyone’s,” she said. Emails were not a priority to administrators, according to multiple accounts from students. “I didn’t like how they didn’t send an email out regarding the situation until the issue was fixed. They should’ve sent an email when the problem occurred and when it was fixed,” Agrawal said. The OIT does post updates on their social media, though, said Hoffman. “Issues with Sakai and other IT ser vices are reported at the
OIT blog at rutgersit.rutgers. edu, with updates provided as new information is made available,” he said. “We also post this information on our @RutgersIT Facebook and Twitter accounts.” Teachers did not respond to the issue, Agrawal said. “None of my teachers responded,” Nguyen said. “I don’t even think they knew.” There were some students who were not affected by the outage, since it occurred during the weekend when they did not need to use Sakai. “I wasn’t really affected by the shutdown and the main reason is because it went down over the weekend when I didn’t need to use it,” said Kevin Huynh, a School of Engineering first-year. Hoffman said Sakai was first created 15 years ago as an open source software project founded by Indiana University, University of Michigan, Stanford University and other universities. Since then, all of these founding universities have transitioned to Canvas as a learning management system. Rutgers is following suit and hopes to foster collaboration by simplifying the learning and teaching experience using Canvas, Hoffman said. “We know that a reliable learning management system is essential to the work of students and faculty at Rutgers,” Hoffman said. “That is why we have worked hard to improve the performance and stability of Sakai even as we make the transition to Canvas.” Canvas is currently used by more than 3,000 universities, school districts and institutions around the world, Hoffman said. Major universities using Canvas include Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, University of California, Berkeley and 12 out of the 14 Big Ten universities.
The study on the gender wage gap was conducted using regression analysis, a method used in statistics. Within individual departments and schools though, the difference in salaries may be greater or less than, depending on the faculty. MICA FINEHART / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Students like Agrawal and Huynh prefer the layout of Canvas over Sakai. “I prefer Canvas because it’s easier to navigate and more
organized,” Agrawal said. “Canvas is vastly superior because of its user-friendly interface and streamlined website. It is easy to find
whatever you’re looking for without having to dig through obscure tabs like on Sakai. Canvas also has a great app,” said Huynh.
Sakai was created 15 years ago as an open source software project by several universities. Since then, these universities have transitioned to Canvas as a learning management system, and Rutgers is aiming to follow suit. DUSTIN NILES / PHOTO EDITOR
OPINIONS
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April 16, 2019
Brain plasticity allows for personal growth KAANOTATIONS KAAN JON BOZTEPE
Y
our brain has the power to consistently grow. While the brain is not actually made of plastic, neuroplasticity means that the brain has the capability to change and grow throughout life experience. Plasticity is the capacity of the brain to change with constant education and we as humans, are far from reaching our potentials, so the growth is seemingly endless. Neuroplasticity occurs in the brain at birth, when a newborn’s brain is forming, a brain injury in which the person has lost some neurological functions that their brain was typically accustomed to and through adulthood and life experiences whenever you are learning something new and absorb the information. Many things are predetermined by your genes, but the brain can continue to grow. Neurons can continue to mature, and this maturity can increase more connections within your brain that can help you retain more information, synthesize difficult situations and have quicker problem-solving skills. There are certain parts of the brain that are associated with specific functions, some of which specialize in hearing, seeing, tasting and other sense-derived attributes. But, there are plenty of non-defined parts of the brain that can be rewired for your benefit. To put it in simpler terms, many people have gone through traumatic experiences that have often led them to having avoidance behaviors, which stem from the anxiety and stress one encounters due to those events, and in turn can hold someone from truly living their life and moving on. Yet, with neuroplasticity, we might be able to open new paths for our thoughts to travel through, in a way to reinvent ourselves while also completely overcoming past traumatic events. So, to change your brain and experience the benefits of the plasticity, I will be providing some surefire ways to strengthen your self-control and growth. First, we must identify what we believe in and why. If you truly want to mentally grow, you must first realize your beliefs and hopes are possible to manifest in your life. Examine the beliefs and consider why they align with your possibility of achieving your goal.
“... we must realize that our actions must match what we say we want, in order to strengthen our newfound habits and expand our brains’ plasticity. ” Next, we must embrace and be self-aware of our emotions. Humans are emotional creatures, but they are also known to suppress their feelings which just causes more stress and anxiety in their minds, leading to fogginess and incoherent thoughts that will limit their possibility of growth. Rather, we must realize that emotion is the power behind accomplishing our intended goals — it is our fuel. After embracing our emotions, we must then begin to visualize. The brain cannot tell the difference between if something is real or imagined, thanks to the cognitive function of memory and imagination which helps you visualize things even when your eyes are closed. We must identify images that align with our goals and visualize our goals to the point that it becomes habitual. Once we accomplish visualization, we can then act to support our goals. At this stage, we must realize that our actions must match what we say we want, in order to strengthen our newfound habits and expand our brains’ plasticity. Overall, this whole system requires constant repetition, but this constant practical thinking, feeling and visualization will not only help you reach your desired goal, but will also help expand your mind and give your brain new paths to cross when dealing with difficult situations. These examples I provided are just ways to enhance your growth — practice will still be key. For example, a taxi driver in New York can memorize the layout of the city as it becomes habitual to them, leading their visual-spatial cortex to grow. It is important to also keep in mind that the brain reacts far more strongly to negative experiences, so it is crucial to be consciously aware of your happiness and what you can do to manage your stress and or anxiety. Remember, the brain must be exercised regularly, so read, meditate, work out, smile, think positive even when times are tough and remember to forgive yourself and others and focus on your growth. Kaan Jon Boztepe is a School of Arts and Sciences junior double majoring in philosophy and history. His column, “Kaanotations,” runs on alternate Tuesdays.
UNIVERSAL UCLICK
We must not conflate stigma of formerly incarcerated to fraternity membership
O
Stigma for the formerly incarcerated is always being n April 3, three young men from considered lesser, violent, lazy or diseased by huge P e n n s y l v a n i a swaths of society, no matter how hard one might fight BRANDON MORRISSEY State University were sen- to show that these adjectives do not apply. Compare tenced to jail time for the role they played in the death this situation to that of fraternity members, whose lifeof another man on campus. The men had been mem- time effects of membership include increased expectbers of Beta Theta Pi, a fraternity. The deceased, Tim- ed wealth and all the benefits that come with it. Reducing stigma associated with the formerly incarothy Piazza, was trying to gain entry into Beta Theta Pi cerated means reversing the almost complete dehuin early 2017. During a hazing ritual at the Beta Theta Pi fra- manization that has been forced onto people that have ternity house, Piazza drank 18 drinks in 82 min- gone through a period of state-mandated trauma. Reducing stigma associated with fraternity memberutes. With a blood alcohol content four-and-a-half times the legal limit, Piazza fell down stairs and ship means no longer holding people culpable for parsustained a traumatic brain injur y. After 12 hours ticipating in an elitist and exclusionary system, which of waiting, the members of Beta Theta Pi finally often protects individuals from facing consequences for heinous actions. called 911. Events like “Greek vs. Street” co-opt the very real But at that point, it was too late, and there was nothing that could be done for Piazza. When I first struggles of justice-involved people in order to play to read about this case, I was saddened, but I was the growing trend of privileged groups claiming victimization in order to escape public scrutiny. not shocked. In recent years, coverage of fraternities has not been Hazing, like sexual assault, is something we as a society have come to not only associate with greek positive. Last year, CNN reported that since 2005, 77 people have died as a result of fraternity activities. life, but also expect of fraternities. Books like “MisCut to April 10. soula: Rape and the I was sitting in the Justice System in a clinical office of Rutgers Law School “What does stigma look like for the formerly College Town” by Jon Krakauer, docuwhen I received an incarcerated? It looks like a lifetime of mentaries like “The email announcing Hunting Ground” the events planned struggling to find employment, fearing and a countless for Petey Greene homelessness, being denied healthcare and a number of new stoPrison Awareness ries have shined a Week. I looked at litany of other concerns. ” light on sexual asthe email, audibly sault by fraternities. laughed and passed Fraternities assoit to my partner, who was equally astonished by the ridiculousness of ciated with the University of Oklahoma, Syracuse University, University of Georgia and many others have the first event. Alongside events on voting rights, education and been suspended or closed entirely as a result of racist life after prison is “Greek vs. Street,” which features actions by fraternity members. Increasingly negative a panel of formerly incarcerated individuals and cur- coverage of fraternities has resulted in fraternities gorent fraternity members discussing the stigma and ing on the defensive. Enter “Greek vs. Street.” “Greek vs. Street” is stereotypes that each group faces because of memonly the most recent example of fraternities paintbership in their respective groups. The false equivalence made between stigma facing ing themselves as embattled groups facing the onfraternity members and stigma facing formerly in- slaught of a society that seeks to tear them down. carcerated individuals is wildly inappropriate. What This is the “War on Christmas” of campus life, and it does stigma look like for the formerly incarcerated? is equally absurd. It looks like a lifetime of struggling to find employBrandon Morrissey is a clinical law student in Rutment, fearing homelessness, being denied healthgers Law School. care and a litany of other concerns.
COMMENTARY
April 16, 2019
Opinions Page 7
Virginia’s NCAA title win ranks high among greatest comebacks FROM THE NOSEBLEEDS T.J. HITCHINGS
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n Monday evening the University of Virginia (UVA) Cavaliers summited the highest mountain in college sports by winning a national basketball championship at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. They bested 67 other teams in the March Madness tournament, which started in mid-March, last defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 85-77 in overtime to bring home their first National Championship. That is where this Virginia team’s story ends, but its beginning is over a year ago, at a college basketball team’s lowest point, in the last year tournament’s opening round. In March 2018, the Virginia Cavaliers, riding the energy of a 31-2 season, with an ACC regular season and conference tournament title on top, looked poised to make a run at an NCAA title. They had been granted a top seeding by the selection committee, gifting them what is traditionally an easy ride to at least the Sweet 16. Before any of that glory could come to fruition, they had to get through 16seed University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC). A team ranked 166th in the country, according to statistician Ken Pomeroy. A team better known for its chess program than its basketball program
found its way into the tournament after winning the American East Conference Tournament on a desperation three-pointer with less than 1 second left to defeat the top-seeded Vermont. It would not be the last one-seed they dethrone. Prior to the UMBC-UVA game, 16-seeds had lost all 135 opening round games they had played against the one-seed since the bracket expanded. Analysts had fully expected this game to continue that trend, with ESPN giving the Cavaliers a 98.5% chance to win before the game even started. The drama did not come until the second half, where the Retrievers pushed a relentless pace, leading to an earthshattering 74-54 victory. They did not only beat a one-seed, but also they won by 20. 16-seeds were now 1-135 in the March Madness tournament. As expected, the loss was crushing to the UVA community. This was an upset that would undoubtedly haunt them for the rest of their existence. No one that watches college basketball will ever forget where they were the first time a 16-seed won a game. They will never forget the UMBC Retrievers. The goal moving forward for the Cavaliers was to make sure no one forgets how they responded to the adversity. In a conference littered with some of the top teams in the county, such as Duke and North Carolina, the Cavaliers once again won the ACC regular season title. Once again, they
had been granted a top seeding, and once again they would face a relatively unknown team, Gardner-Webb University, in the opening round. The eyes of the nation would be on this otherwise easy win. The support of a nation of 49 states — excluding Virginia — wanted to see Gardner-Webb University win, and after 20 minutes on the court it looked like lightning would strike twice, as Virginia this year was down six points at halftime. Luckily for Virginia fans with weak hearts, the Cavaliers came back to win by 15. The curse was over and they could finally move forward in the tournament without worrying about embarrassment. They then took out Oklahoma and Oregon to reach the Elite Eight, and Purdue after trailing by three with 5 seconds left. They then faced Auburn with a trip to the national title on the line, coming back to win thanks to a foul at the literal last second, and three unbelievably clutch free throws by Kyle Guy to reach the promised land: The National Championship game. The story of the 2019 National Championship game will never be about what happened on the court, it will always be about the exemplification of the value of sports. The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Virginia beat Texas Tech 85-77 in overtime to win their first ever National Championship, a year removed from the most unexpected upset in college basketball history. Tears of devastation and
embarrassment had turned into those of joy and celebration in a story that Hollywood could not have conjured. There have been many great comebacks in sports history. The Boston Red Sox came back in the 2004 American League Championship Series down three games to defeat their rival New York Yankees before winning their first World Series in 86 years. The New England Patriots came back from a 28-3 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 in Super Bowl 51. Even here at Rutgers we have been a part of massive comebacks. In the 2006 Pandemonium in Piscataway game against third-ranked Louisville, the Scarlet Knights were down 25-7, before scoring 21 unanswered points for the biggest win in the history of Rutgers’ football program. While all of these were massive stories, they do not hold a candle to the last 13 months of Virginia Basketball. Their rollercoaster ride experienced both the lowest possible low, and the highest possible high in this tournament format. People will always remember where they were when UMBC beat Virginia in 2018, but even more unbelievable is the pressure the Cavaliers overcame to win the whole tournament the next year. T.J. Hitchings is a School of Arts and Sciences senior majoring in journalism and media studies, with a concentration in sports media. His column, “From the Nosebleeds,” typically runs on alternate Thursdays.
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April 16, 2019
With 2020 elections nearing, media should learn from 2016 errors EAMONN O'NEILL CORRESPONDENT
The 2020 presidential election is in full swing. President Donald J. Trump has ramped up his attacks on minorities, and socialism, while scrambling to devise a campaign message around immigration and a healthy economy. Democrats, meanwhile, are making the rounds attempting to develop a fundraising base before primaries begin. The media coverage centered around the primary candidates would make an onlooker believe Election Day was in one month — when the Iowa caucus is not until February 2020. The first Democratic debates are set for June. Nearly 20 candidates are announced with potentially 30 ready for the debate stage. Already, there has been criticism of how the media establishes campaign narratives this early, especially in the wake of the debacle of 2016. Many believe that the news media should focus on substance rather than creating entertaining narratives. Every election cycle seemingly begins earlier than the last. Many of the supposed campaign front-runners, such as Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris or Beto O’Rourke, have already announced and set record fundraising numbers. Former Vice President Joe Biden appears late
to the race even though he is set to announce later this month. In 2004, the last time Democrats ran against a Republican incumbent, the front-runner, Howard Dean, did not announce until June of 2003. The 2020 election seems to be happening in double time. Rabid consumers of political news probably have been invested in 2020 as soon as Trump won in 2016. What Democrat will emerge to defeat him? The Robert Mueller investigation, 2018 midterm Democratic victory and the imaginary immigration crisis dreamt up by Trump, each were packaged in a timeline by both print and television news. Each event is a plot point in the arc of the next American election. Promoting winners and losers of palace intrigue and political machinations creates heroes and villains necessary to entertain political junkies. Is it the job of media institutions to promote narratives or to educate the public? That question is hardly new or, frankly, interesting. Politics is entertaining because of its real world effects. The narratives on the page combined with spin and counter-spin do matter because politicians exist because of elections. Real Americans put people in office. Of course that is not without the help of corporations, billionaires and propaganda apparatuses. But if people choose to get their kicks out of reading
Politico and watching CNN all day, more power to them. But that coverage should be reserved for the lead-up to elections or in the “offseason.” For many the daily deluge of news takes a backseat to their lives. Working parents living paycheck to paycheck do not prioritize an errant tweet or a grandstand on CSPAN. They need to worry about how the government is going to value them and make their lives easier. Once elections come around it should be the media’s utmost responsibility to provide simple election coverage.
Some companies already do explainers and breakdowns of candidates. Vox Media, The New York Times and The Washington Post provide superb coverage. Whether that be for policy or elections, they each help voters understand the effects of a decision. But unfortunately, this only really applies to major party candidates in major elections. During the 2018 midterms I attempted to research my local election candidates to further my knowledge outside of just party affiliation. It turned out to be surprisingly difficult.
Luckily I heard about Vote Save America from Crooked Media, a podcast company — home to Pod Save America. The site provided a clean breakdown of not only candidate voting records and policy, but my voting place as well as an Election Day reminder. I only heard about it because I am an avid listener of the Crooked podcasts. Perhaps the Times or Post could invest in a series of local papers or contractors to develop systems like Vote Save America, and promote it heavily atop their sites. It’ll do America a favor in 2020.
There were plenty of critiques of the media in the 2016 election, some valid and some hyperbolic, but it's clear that some changes are needed. UNSPLASH
Glass ceiling shatters, Lilly Singh nabs NBC late-night gig ELIZABETH LEOCE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
YouTube sensation Lilly Singh recently revealed that she will be taking Carson Daly’s slot on the NBC late-night lineup with her own show, “A Little Late with Lilly Singh.” Since the beginning of her entertainment career, Singh fell in love with YouTube, since it's a diverse platform and creative space where anyone can produce content.
With more than 14 million subscribers, Singh has worked her way up to this position and is ready to take on this more challenging and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Singh will also be the first queer woman of color to ever host a late-night show on 1 of 4 major networks. With the surprise announcement on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” with surprise guest Seth Meyers, Singh’s new show will be a half-hour program with a
variety of guests premiering this September in the 1:35 a.m. slot. Although it will be aired a little late, her presence on a bigger network will hopefully attract a more diverse audience and bring a refreshing feel to a male-dominated industry. YouTube is a booming media platform with a growing presence and audience, which raises the question: Is the future of primetime television safe? This new change to television may help bring back its views that have
As a queer South Asian woman, Lilly Singh is stretching the historically strict boundaries of what a late-night television host can look like. TWITTER
slowly been dissipating. Current- not fully attracted to these concepts ly, Singh produces her own con- and thus end up veering towards tent on her own channel doing YouTube. Some examples of content on these videos such shows are Jimas raps, sketch com“... her presence on a bigger my Fallon’s inter views edy, internetwork will hopefully with famous views, charicelebrities as ty work and attract a more diverse well as music more. Singh audience and bring a performances has worked and parodies. with many farefreshing feel to a Meyers enmous celebrimale-dominated industry.” joys exploring ties and has contemporary built conneccurrent events tions that are more personal compared to being in depth, which has given the show a politically-driven edge. a regular television host. “I’m so excited because I truly Her second channel, SuperwomanVlogs, is like a daily journal of her get to create a show from scratch, life, creating lists of things to accom- I get to make it inclusive, I get plish throughout her day, inspiring to create comedy segments and others to hustle hard and earn their interview people and really cresuccess. In her book, “How to be a ate something that I believe in,” Bawse,” Singh emphasizes the im- Singh said. This new change to television portance of being true to yourself and controlling your own life and will potentially help save lategoals. Singh’s content shows that night television, but will it change being different and creating con- Singh? She currently has no probtent you love will get you where lem voicing her opinions and beyou need to be. As for late-night talk ing a little louder than normal, but show hosts, this is the change that will she tone down her videos for the purpose of being on television? she has been waiting for. Hopefully Singh stays true to While many of these late-night talk shows consist of comedy and herself, making bad situations into content aimed toward an older audi- comedy and just enjoy being the ence, television producers forget that first Canadian-Indian YouTuber to the younger generation of kids are ever host her own television show.
DIVERSIONS
April 16, 2019
Mark Tatulli Horoscopes
Lio
Page 9 Eugenia Last
Happy Birthday: Do your best; no one will be able to complain. Take control and put your heart and soul into everything you do. If you let others push you into arguing instead of solving problems this year, you’ll have only yourself to blame. Only share what’s necessary when the time is right. Preparation and organization will be mandatory. Your numbers are 2, 9, 14, 21, 24, 36, 44.
Over The Hedge
T. Lewis and M. Fry
Non Sequitur
Wiley
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Listen and use what’s said to negotiate on your own behalf. A meeting, business trip or dealing with people in an authoritative position will help you uncover what’s possible and what’s best left alone. It’s up to you to make change happen. 3 stars TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You don’t have to spend in order to make an impression. Use your intelligence, experience and ability to persuade others to support your efforts. A budget-friendly idea will be inviting and less stressful. Romance is on the rise. 5 stars GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Anger and aggression aren’t the answers. Gather facts before you respond. Getting caught in a senseless disagreement will lead to a missed opportunity. Focus on what’s possible and positive, not negativity and unrealistic ventures. Avoid an emotional setback. 2 stars CANCER (June 21-July 22): It’s time to tie up loose ends and display what you have to offer. New beginnings, ventures and partnerships look promising and should bring high returns. Home improvements will make your life easier and encourage you to host more events. 4 stars
Pearls Before Swine
Stephan Pastis
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Be aware of what others are going through before you make a judgment call. Acting on an assumption will put you in an awkward position when faced with the whole truth. Take a closer look at your options, and remain neutral. 3 stars VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): A clean break is in your best interest. If your time is tied up arguing or being emotionally manipulated, it will be difficult to take advantage of potential opportunities. Surround yourself with positive people. 3 stars
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Going out with someone you haven’t before will be eye-opening. Learn from new experiences. You will find it easier to deal with problems that have been going on for too long. A change will help put your life in perspective. 3 stars SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Learn as you go. Stretch your mind and reach for the stars. The people you associate with should encourage you, not hold you back or take advantage of your insight or your generosity. Romance is encouraged and will enhance your life. 4 stars SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Your optimism may be your downfall if you are gullible. Ask questions, and be resourceful when it comes to matters that can affect your personal, emotional or financial well-being. Protect against theft, lies and damage to your reputation. 2 stars CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Set the pace, and keep moving until you reach your destination. Your insight and ability to finish what you start will make an impression on someone who can contribute to your success. A partnership can be formed and a contract signed. 5 stars AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Don’t make a fuss. It’s best to take care of your responsibilities so you can move on the projects that excite you. Make alterations at home that will prompt you to get back to doing what makes you happy. 3 stars PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Share your feelings, and put any emotional problems to rest. Knowing where you stand will help you move forward. A partnership will take a favorable turn that will encourage you to proceed with greater confidence and a solid plan for the future. 3 stars
©2018 By Eugenia Last distributed by Universal Uclick
Universal Crossword ACROSS
62 Brazilian soccer legend
1 “Believe” singer, 1998
63 Royals manager Ned
5 Get distorted
64 Certain waffle
9 Olympic sword 13 Give off light
DOWN
14 Backside
1 Most populous country
15 Vein of ore
2 Tennis champion Martina
16 *Caring person (note each
3 Finish line
starred answer’s first word)
4 Practice
19 Suffix for “finish”
5 Cover with paper
20 World’s fair
6 “Dynamic” lead-in
21 Potion holder
7 Long-tailed rodent
22 Cocktail with rum and lime
8 Nip in the bud
24 Tom, Dick and Harry
9 “Frozen” queen
25 TV brand
10 Place to play nine-ball
28 *Make sense of the world
11 End of UCLA’s URL
32 Military attack
12 Slippery fish
33 Lawsuit basis
13 Low-fat milk choice
34 Ham it up
17 They’re on the way out
44 ___-eye dog
37 Expert
18 Small dent
48 Central African river
38 Cheap college meal
23 Exactly
49 Leg joint
39 Fit to stand trial
24 Address for a nobleman
51 Senator’s assistant
40 Entry point
26 Remedy
52 X5 and i8 cars
42 *They form letters
27 Memo abbr.
53 It’s right on the map
45 Hotel-rating org.
29 Use one’s last chip
55 Red carpet figure, briefly
46 Portrait or landscape
30 Lake Michigan neighbor
56 Orangutan, e.g.
47 Coming up
31 Put down roots
57 “___-hoo!”
50 Mexican food truck order
34 This, in Tijuana
58 Swerve
52 Stoop (down)
35 “SNL” alum Rudolph
54 A long, long time
36 Watching over a neighborhood, say
55 *Source of entertainment?
38 Yard sale’s backup time
59 Portable music player
40 Toto’s owner
60 “___ it going?”
41 Like 2 + 2 = 5
61 Bit of color
43 Many an emoji
Yesterday’s Solution
Yesterday’s Solution
Page 10
April 16, 2019 TENNIS MICHIGAN STATE 5, RUTGERS 2
Knights fall to Spartans, Wolverines ALEX FABUGAIS-INABA CORRESPONDENT
Another weekend, another pair of Big Ten losses for the Rutgers tennis team this past weekend. The Scarlet Knights (9-10, 1-8) fell to No. 14 Michigan, 4-0, on Saturday and Michigan State, 5-2, on Sunday in a gritty set of matches that left Rutgers on the court for nearly three hours. Scoring the 2 points for the Knights against the Spartans (1510, 6-5) were junior Kat Muzik and freshman Tess Fisher with their respectable singles matches.
Muzik was out for blood, and her comeback in the third set proved that all she wanted was a win against Michigan State’s Davina Nguyen, who she faced her freshman year. “It was nice to get the win this time,” Muzik said. “Going into it, I wanted that revenge a little bit.” Muzik pushed the match into a third set, but came back around at the end to close off in sets of 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 at the No. 3 spot. On a neighboring court, Fisher was fighting hard to get the ball rolling with a 6-2 loss in the first set. Luckily, a tight second set left
Fisher with enough momentum to outplay the Spartans’ Lauren Lemonds in final sets of 7-5 and 6-4. “At that point, when it’s that tough and the scores are close, I really just try to fight harder than the other player,” Fisher said. “I know if I can do that, then it’ll turn out well. I just work on that and a lot of intensity and focus.” Facing the Wolverines (15-5, 11-0), who are undefeated in Big Ten action, Rutgers didn’t let its opponents rankings change its mentality heading into the match. The Knights started off with a strong doubles performance
Head coach Hilary Ritchie and Rutgers lost 4-0 to No. 14 Michigan and 5-2 to Michigan State in the team’s final home matches of the season. MICA FINEHART / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / JAUNARY 2019
by freshman Sydney Kaplan and Fisher, defeating Michigan’s Alyvia Jones and Bella Lorenzini in a strong showing of 6-3 at the No. 3 position. Sophomore Maya Jacobs and Muzik fell to a quick 6-0 doubles match while junior Jaci Cochrane and freshman Kristiana Zahare were only two points away from winning their doubles match in a close 7-6 (4-0) loss to the Wolverines. The three singles matches that Michigan won left three other matches unfinished due to the scoring of a four-point competition. Jacobs fell 6-0, 6-1 to the Wolverines’ Kate Fahey, who is No. 3 in singles action. Fisher was unable to win her No. 2 spot in a 6-4, 6-2 loss as well as Cochrane, who lost 6-2, 6-0 at the No. 5 position. The lone Rutgers student athlete to win at least one set in singles was Kaplan with a 6-3 victory in the first set, leaving the second set at 1-1. “Michigan was a very tough team,” said head coach Hilary Ritchie. “We were two points away from getting the doubles point, so that would’ve been good for us. Unfortunately, they were tough in singles. They were a very tough team.” For its last home meet of the season, the Knights stepped outdoors to take on Michigan State, but didn’t get the outcome that they wanted.
“We came out with a lot of energy,” Ritchie said. “Losing the doubles point was critical today. Those of us that won fought really hard and we had opportunities in other spots, but we’ve got to play really offensively in the big points.” Starting with doubles, Muzik and Jacobs as well as Kaplan and Fisher both fell 6-2 to the Spartans. Cochrane and Zahare left their match unfinished in the lead at 4-3. Kaplan is a continuous force of nature in Big Ten matches, but this time around, the cards were not in her favor. The Montebello, New York native dropped her first singles match in four outings against Michigan State’s Maja Pietrowicz. Winning the first set 6-4, Kaplan was stuck in a rut the final two sets with a 6-3, 6-1 loss. A grueling season leaves Rutgers with just two matches left in Indiana. The Knights will take on Indiana on Saturday at 11 a.m. and Purdue on Sunday at noon before they wait to find out if they qualify for the Big Ten tournament the following weekend. “We fought hard,” Fisher said. “We gave it all that we could. We still have two matches left, so that’s the good thing. Just keep fighting and not give up.” For updates on the Rutgers tennis team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE NO. 8 MICHIGAN 12, RUTGERS 8
Rutgers comes up short against Michigan NICK YI STAFF WRITER
The Rutgers women’s lacrosse team travelled to Ann Arbor, Michigan to face of f against No. 8 Michigan and fell shor t of a win. Despite a second half push, the Scarlet Knights (5-9, 0-4) lost 12-8 to the Wolverines (14-1, 4-1). Rutgers has now lost its last four matchups, three of which were Big Ten Conference games. Before Saturday’s game, the Knights were 4-0 against Michigan, making this their first loss against the Wolverines. Rutgers trailed all game, attempting to catch up for 60 minutes. The first half proved tough, as the Knights trailed 8-4 at halftime. Michigan struck first 17 seconds into the game, with Caitlin Muir scoring for the Wolverines. Sophomore attack Taralyn Naslonski scored first for Rutgers, the only time the two teams were tied before Michigan moved ahead. The Wolverines went on a 4-goal run with goals from Nadine Stewart, Molly Garrett and two more from Muir extending the lead to 5-1. Senior attack Abbey Brooks scored her only goal after the Michigan trio to break up the momentum. Freshmen midfielder Camryn Rogers and attack Marin Harts-
horn both scored before the half bring the score to 8-4. The second half was revived with a burst of excitement as junior midfielder Samantha Budd scored 3 goals in a row for the Knights, bringing the score to 9-7. The Wolverines had some extra offensive prowess up their sleeves, answering Budd’s second half hat-trick with three more goals of their own. After a last-minute goal from Rogers, Rutgers ended the game close, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, Michigan’s goal leader Muir finished the game with 5 goals, followed by Stewart and Garrett with two, and one a piece from Maggie Kane, Erin Daly and Kaitlyn Mead. The Knights’ were led by Budd’s hat trick, two from Rogers, and one each from Brooks, Naslonski and Hartshorn. Looking at team stats, Rutgers was outshot 43-30 with 16 shots on goal. Turnovers were similar, with the Knights committing 13 and the Wolverines with 11 of their own. Rutgers had 12 ground balls and won 8 draw controls. The team went perfect on 17 clears. The Knights had their fair share of defeats throughout the season, as they now have a season record of five wins and nine losses. Rutgers has had flashes of strong showings this season, but just hasn’t been able to capitalize
on its strengths to get the win over its opponents. The team’s schedule is definitely a hard one. The Knights have played six ranked opponents and did their best to keep up in each one of them. The Big Ten boosts a high quality group of schools with strong programs.
The season dwindles down to two more games before the Big Ten Tournament, with two Big Ten rivals up next on Rutgers’ schedule. This Saturday, the Knights host Ohio State for a hot matchup against a conference rival. Rutgers will continue to use its of fensive stars against the
Buckeyes (8-7, 0-4) at HighPoint.com Stadium. The Knights look to end the season on a more positive note, with Ohio State first and Penn State for the final game of the season. For updates on the Rutgers women's lacrosse team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
Head coach Laura Brand Sias and the Knights are winless through four games in Big Ten action. They will host the Buckeyes this Saturday. CURSTINE GUEVARRA / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / MARCH 2019
Page 11
April 16, 2019 MEN’S BASKETBALL KNIGHTS FINISHED 2018-2019 SEASON WITH PROGRAM-BEST 7 BIG TEN WINS
RU is Most Improved Team on Sports Illustrated JAKE SCHMIED ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR
For the Rutgers men’s basketball team, transitioning from the Big East to the Big Ten, a powerhouse league where the likes of Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin reign supreme, has been challenging to say the least. Before their fifth season in the Big Ten commenced, the Scarlet Knights were projected to be the
14th seed in the Big Ten Tournament, the last place spot in one of the nation’s most competitive Power 6 conferences. But upsets over then-No. 16 Ohio State and then-No. 22 Iowa, including a close win at Miami, were just several factors for Rutgers to garner Sports Illustrated’s Most Improved Team accolade. In head coach Steve Pikiell’s third year on the Banks, the Knights compiled seven Big Ten wins, the highest the program has
amassed since joining the conference five years earlier. But, before Pikiell became the head coach, Rutgers was struggling to find its footing in a conference that boasts 288 national championships. In 2014, their inaugural year along with Mar yland in the now-14-school Big Ten, the Knights finished with a 2-16 conference record. In that season, graduate student center Shaquille Doorson was averag-
Redshirt freshman center Myles Johnson averaged 5.7 rebounds per game. He had a career-high 11 rebounds against Nebraska on Jan. 21. GARRETT STEFFE / ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR / MARCH 2019
ing 1.6 points in 29 games, a freshman at the time. After a 2015-2016 season, where Rutgers took a step backward with a Big Ten record of 1-16 (0.056 wins percentage), the program decided to fire former head coach Eddie Jordan and hire Stony Brook’s Steve Pikiell, who had guided the Seawolves to their first NCAA Tournament berth. Pikiell, a four-time America East coach, more than doubled the Knights’ overall win total in his first season at the helm of the program. With three players averaging over 10 points per game, including former guards Corey Sanders and Nigel Johnson along with alumnus forward Deshawn Freeman. Rutgers earned three wins, including its first Big Ten road victory over Penn State. Just looking at the record in Pikiell’s second year in Piscataway (15-19, 3-15), the win totals remained the same as the year before. But, the team’s growth was cer tainly noted in its Cinderella-esque Big Ten Tournament run. As the No. 14 seed in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament, the Knights knocked off No. 11-seeded Minnesota, out-rebounding the Golden Gophers by 21. Rutgers would then play the role of Cinderella and defeated No. 6-seeded Indiana on Sanders’ 28-point night at Madison Square Garden, in the Tournament’s second round. Plenty of the Scarlet faithful were in attendance at the Garden, the Mecca of collegiate basketball. This season, without Sanders as a point guard, Pikiell inserted four freshmen — redshirt center Myles Johnson, forward Ron Harper Jr. and guards Montez Mathis and Caleb McConnell — into the rotation along with graduate student center Shaquille Doorson and sophomore guard Geo Baker. Harper and Mathis are the first pair of Knights to garner a four-star rating in the same year since 2008. In Big Ten games, the freshman backcourt excelled in its first season in collegiate basketball. Mathis averaged 10.2 points per game in conference match-ups, with his best game of the season coming against Nebraska on Jan. 21, a 20-point
and nine-rebound outing, both career highs. Harper Jr., a former four-star recruit by rivals.com and Don Bosco Prep graduate, averaged 7.8 points per game. In his first appearance donning the Scarlet jersey, he put up 15 points against Fairleigh Dickinson, going 7-8 from the field. McConnell played minutes off the bench and, like Harper, gradually found himself playing lengthier minutes. A 6-foot-6-inch guard, he has proven himself as a versatile passer. Johnson, who redshirted during the 2017-2018 campaign, has averaged 17.5 minutes in his first official playing season. In Rutgers’ upset over the Cornhuskers, the same game where Mathis put up career highs, Johnson also picked up career highs in points (13) as well as minutes played (25) and shot 6-8 from the field. Coming off a freshman campaign including 15 and 25-point performances against Indiana and Purdue in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament, Baker was the veteran in the backcourt this season. The Derry, New Hampshire native averaged 4.1 assists per game this season, almost doubling his amount from his first season on the Banks. Next season will be the Knights’ sixth season in the Big Ten and there is reason to believe that Pikiell’s young group will increase its win total. Junior guard Jacob Young will be eligible to play after redshirting this season. The transfer from Texas brings NCAA Tournament experience to the Banks. The highly-touted recruit from Gill St. Bernard’s School, Paul Mulcahy will arrive to Rutgers for his freshman season, bringing a wealth of high school accolades to join Baker, Mathis, sophomore guard Peter Kiss and Young in the backcourt. Mulcahy averaged a triple double this season (18.1 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game and 10.1 assists per game) and carried the school to four straight Somerset County Tournament titles. For updates on the Rutgers men’s basketball team, follow @SchmiedJake and @TargumSports on Twitter.
TWITTER: @TargumSports WEBSITE: DailyTargum.com/section/sports
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY—NEW BRUNSWICK
SPORTS
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When it’s that tough and the scores are close, I really just try to fight harder than the other player.” — Freshman tennis player Tess Fisher
ONLINE AT DAILYTARGUM.COM
TUESDAY APRIL 16, 2019
BASEBALL RUTGERS 8, MICHIGAN STATE 0
THIS IS NOT SPARTA Knights sweep Spartans to get into tournament picture Junior left-handed pitcher Tevin Murray was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after taking a no-hitter in the sixth inning this past Sunday, in Rutgers’ 8-0 victory over Michigan State. MICA FINEHART / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER / MARCH 2019
SAM MARSDALE STAFF WRITER
The Rutgers baseball team achieved its first sweep in a Big Ten series since joining the conference back in 2015, when it won its three-game series over Michigan State (825, 0-8). The Scarlet Knights (13-19, 5-4) improved to 5-4 in the conference, which is good enough for sole possession of eighth place. Only the top 8 out of the 13 baseball programs in the conference are invited to the Big Ten Tournament in Omaha, Nebraska. “Two out of three wasn’t good enough, we wanted to get the sweep,” said junior left-handed pitcher Tevin Murray to RVision after the game. He impressed in front of an array of MLB scouts on Sunday, allowing only one hit over six innings, while striking out nine and walking two, as Rutgers won 8-0 on Sunday to complete the series sweep. Yesterday, Murray was named Big Ten Pitcher of the Week.
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Harry Rutkowski gave the Knights a strong start to open the series on Friday. He got to pitch with a lead for the first time since Feb. 16 at Miami, as senior catcher Tyler McNamara got Rutgers on the board with an RBI single in the first inning against the Spartans. The Knights would then add two more in the fourth inning on RBI singles from true freshman infielder David Soto and junior outfielder Kevin Blum. Rutkowski would fall into a little bit of trouble in the sixth inning, giving up a run. He was replaced by junior right-handed pitcher Steven Acosta in the seventh inning. Michigan State would cut it to a 3-2 game on a sacrifice bunt, but that’s the closest it would get. Right-handed pitchers true freshman Garrett French and senior Serafino Brito would go six up, six down in the eighth and ninth innings, as Rutgers tacked on one more rub to come away with a 4-2 win. Rutkowski earned his first win in more than a calendar year.
freshman catcher on the softball team, earned the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Week accolade, after homering three times to give the Knights a series sweep over the Nittany Lions, last weekend. She is batting .307 this season.
of Murray will probably be the two biggest reasons why. On top of Murray’s impressive start on Sunday, Rutgers’ offense kept the line moving en-route to scoring 8 runs. The Knights took a patient approach at the plate, as Michigan State’s pitchers were having a very hard time not giving up walks. Rutgers plated three in the second, with Blum opening the scoring with an RBI double. McNamara delivered the big blow in the game, a 2-run single in the fourth inning to give the team a 5-0 lead. Although it wasn’t pretty, and the Spartans sure have their flaws — 5 of the team’s 8 runs did not score on a hit — the Knights did what they needed to do, and that was sweep the series. Rutgers will welcome Hofstra for midweek action on Wednesday, and then Purdue this weekend for a three-game set. For updates on the Rutgers baseball team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
KNIGHTS SCHEDULE
EXTRA POINT
KATIE WINGERT,
The Knights got off to a roaring start on Saturday, thanks in large part to a massive defensive blunder from the Spartans’ shortstop Marty Bechina. With Rutgers already leading 1-0, true freshman outfielder Victor Valderama grounded one to Bechina, who booted the ball and threw it away, allowing another run to score. Bechina was charged with two errors on the play. True freshman catcher Peter Serruto would then follow with a 2-run single and Blum added an RBI single to give the Knights a 5-0 lead after the first inning, more than enough runs for junior right-handed pitcher Tommy Genuario. Genuario allowed seven hits over six innings, giving up 1 run, while striking out seven and walking two. In his last four appearances (three star ts) he has pitched 23.2 innings and allowed 8 runs, 7 of them earned. If the Knights can make a run to the conference tournament this year, inserting Genuario into the rotation and the improvement
MLB SCORES
BASEBALL
vs. Hofstra
Tomorrow, 3 p.m., Bainton Field
Baltimore Boston
8 1
MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Virginia Challenge
Friday, All Day, Charlottesville, Va.
NY Mets Philadelphia
7 6
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Larry Ellis Invitational
Friday, All Day, Princeton, N.J.
Chi. Cubs Miami
7 2