PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Interstat) — Peyton Bonds went 4 for 4 with a home run and five RBIs, and Zack Konstantinovsky tossed five scoreless innings to lead the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to a 14-0 rout of the Bryant Bulldogs in college baseball Saturday at Bainton Field.

The game, which began in the afternoon and concluded in the evening, was never in doubt as Rutgers erupted for eight runs in the second inning and cruised to its eighth win of the season. Bryant was shut out for the first time this year, managing just four hits.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the second inning, transforming a competitive contest into a blowout. Already leading 2-0, Rutgers capitalized on Bryant miscues and powerful hitting to break the game open. After an error by Bryant second baseman Carlos Irizarry allowed a run to score, Bonds stepped to the plate with a man on and launched a two-run homer, his third of the season, to deep left field.

The onslaught continued. Chase Krewson doubled and stole third, and after a walk to Charlie Meglio, Tristan Salinas delivered the decisive blow. Salinas crushed a three-run home run to right field, his third of the season, capping the eight-run frame and giving Rutgers an 8-0 lead from which Bryant never recovered.

Bonds was the catalyst throughout, adding an RBI single in the third and a two-run double in the fourth. He finished a triple shy of the cycle, scoring three times and stealing a base. His five RBIs matched a career high.

Konstantinovsky was dominant for the Scarlet Knights (8-5), allowing just two hits and striking out five over five innings to earn the win. The Rutgers bullpen of Matthew Cruz and Finn Haines closed out the final two innings, preserving the shutout.

Bryant starter Dylan Scudder took the loss, charged with eight runs, five earned, over two innings. The Bulldogs (4-7) used six pitchers, with Zev Salsberg, Thomas Galusha and Billy Mulholland among those appearing in relief.

Rutgers added three runs in the third inning, highlighted by a two-run single from Meglio, and two more in the fourth on Bonds’ double. The final run came in the sixth on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Tyler Wiltsey.

Justin Hackett had a double and a stolen base for Bryant, which saw its best scoring chance snuffed out in the second inning after Hackett doubled and stole third with one out. Rutgers pitchers struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

The victory gave Rutgers a 2-0 series lead after a 6-3 win on Friday. The teams are scheduled to conclude the three-game set on Sunday.

The lopsided result defied the pregame projection from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a narrow 6-5 Rutgers victory. The Scarlet Knights’ offensive explosion, keyed by Bonds and the big second inning, rendered those projections obsolete.

Rutgers improved to 5-1 at home this season, while Bryant fell to 1-2 on its current road trip.