GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team split a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader with Rutgers-Newark on Saturday. The Scarlet Raiders won the opener, 12-3 and the Profs came back to take the nightcap, 18-7.
Rowan has a 22-10 record with a 6-4 conference mark. Rutgers-Newark is 18-7-1 overall and 7-3 in the NJAC.
The Profs had an offensive explosion in the second contest, tallying 18 runs and 23 hits. Second baseman Alex Kokos (fr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) was five-for-six with one RBI and three runs. Third baseman Matt Jolly (sr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) recorded a double and four RBIs. Catcher Steven Hewa (so. Galloway, NJ/Absegami) had a double and three RBIs while left fielder Jason Clapper (sr. Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) produced a home run and two RBIs and scored four times. First baseman Dillon Mendel (so. Sparta, NJ/Sparta), right fielder Michael Decker (so. Montgomery, NJ/Montgomery) and Clapper finished the game with three hits apiece.
Right fielder Adam Tricarico (jr. Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) led the Scarlet Raiders with two hits (two at bats), two homers, six RBIs and two runs. Second baseman JC Ball (fr. Elizabeth, NJ/Elizabeth) was three-for-three with a double and one RBI. Left fielder Josh Cote (sr. Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) recorded a double.
Right-hander Victor Lebron (so. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) threw three innings of one-hit ball for the win in relief. He (2-0) struck out three batters. Righty Vincent Conti (fr. Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) took the loss (1-1).
Rowan put three runs in the first, two in the second and one in the third for a 6-0 advantage. The Scarlet Raiders came back with four runs in the top of the fourth but the Profs responded with six in the bottom half for a 12-4 cushion. The score was 14-7 before Rowan scored four times in the eighth to put the game away.
In game one, Rutgers-Newark first baseman Ross Halkias (jr. Kinnelon, NJ/County College of Morris) registered three hits (five at bats), a triple, three RBIs and two runs. Ball posted three hits (three at bats), a double and two RBIs and scored a run. Catcher Justin Marks (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield), third baseman Brian Boulineau (jr. Randolph, NJ/Randolph) and Tricarico drove in two runs apiece. Center fielder Anthony Perconte (jr. Westfield, NJ/Westfield), Boulineau and Tricarico each hit a double and Perconte touched the plate three times.
Clapper notched a home run while shortstop Matt Edwards (so. Manasquan, NJ/Manasquan) recorded one RBI. First baseman Monny Strickland (jr. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) and Jolly each scored one time.
Right-handed pitcher Mike Zibrin (jr. Middletown, NJ/Middletown N.) hurled six innings for the victory. He (5-1) allowed three runs and five hits while fanning seven batters. Righty Chas Bohannon (sr. Springfield, NJ/Jonathan Dayton) tossed the final three frames for his first save. He did not surrender a hit. Right-hander Andrew Cartier (so. Estell Manor, NJ/Buena Reg.) suffered the loss (4-2).
The Scarlet Raiders had a 5-0 lead before the Profs cut the deficit to two (5-3) with one run in the third and two in the fourth. Rutgers-Newark scored one run in the seventh and three in both the eighth and ninth.
Rowan hosts The College of New Jersey on Thursday, April 20 at 3:30 p.m.