Winter Haven, FL: The #14 Ramapo College baseball team fell to Rhodes College today, 9-8 in their first game at the Russ Matt Tournament. The Roadrunners are now 2-1 on the season while Rhodes stands at 11-10 overall.

The Roadrunners jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first inning. Senior Christian Spurr and sophomore Chris Werr each drove home runs for Ramapo in the first inning before they tacked on two more in the fourth inning for a 4-0 lead.

In the sixth inning, Rhodes would get their first run of the game on a RBI double before Ramapo got the run back in the bottom half of the inning with a RBI single from senior Dave Jacob for a 5-1 lead. After the seventh, Ramapo led 8-2 before Rhodes came back in the eighth and scored four runs to shrink the Roadrunner lead, 8-6.

In the top of the ninth, the Roadrunners recorded back to back outs before the Lynx would come back to win the game. A walk and hit by pitch brought Patrick Kilkenny to the plate. Kilkenny drilled the third pitch he saw over the left field fence for a three-run home run to give the Lynx a 9-8 lead. The Roadrunners would go down in order in the bottom half of the inning as the Lynx came away with the come back victory.

Ramapo starting pitcher senior Travis Zilg went the first six innings, striking out three and walking none while scattering nine hits and surrendering only one run. Tom Portesy surrendered four runs in one inning of work with one strikeout while Walker Larson gave up three hits in 0.1 innings of work. Senior Dan LaRocca (1-1) took the loss as he struck out one, walked one and gave up three runs in the final 1.2 innings of the game.

The Roadrunners pounded out 16 hits in the game. Jacob finished 3-4 with one RBI while Spurr was 4-5 with one run scored and one RBI. Osterman, Werr and sophomore Zach Carroll each collected two hits while Werr posted two RBI.

Ramapo returns to action tomorrow afternoon with a double header against Bowdoin College at noon.