Glassboro, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team swept a NJAC double header from Rowan University today, 4-2 and 6-5.
The Roadrunners now stand at 13-1 overall and 2-0 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. This week, the Roadrunners were ranked ninth in the D3baseball.com Top 25 Poll and 19th in the American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball Poll. Rowan has an 11-6 record with a 0-2 conference mark.
Right-hander PJ Cerreto (2-0) was the winning pitcher in the first contest. He fired a complete game, striking out nine and scattered seven hits and gave up two earned runs. Righty Steven Melchiorre (2-2) took the loss. He allowed eight hits and four runs (three earned) while he struck out 12.
For Ramapo, first baseman Scott Paulus and designated hitter Joe Venturino each had one hit and two RBIs. Paulus also scored one run. Shortstop/second baseman Kevin Case went three for four with a double. Third baseman Christian Spurr chipped in with two hits (four at bats), a double and one run scored. Right fielder Dave Jacob contributed with one hit and one run scored.
Rowan shortstop Ryan Williams was one for four with one RBI. Second baseman Mark Benak produced a double and one run scored. Center fielder Eric Perez scored one run.
The Profs had a 2-0 lead after scoring one run in the third and fourth innings. In the third, Benak doubled to left center field and went to third on first baseman Sean Kelly's base hit. Benak crossed the plate on a wild pitch. Williams had a RBI single in the fourth inning, scoring Perez.
Ramapo scored all four runs in the eighth inning. Paulus recorded a two-RBI single through the left side. Jacob and Capuano both scored. Venturino then drove in Spurr and Paulus with a single to take the lead.
In the nightcap, Spurr scored the winning run on a single by Venturino in the ninth inning Venturino ended the game with four hits (five at bats) and three RBIs. Spurr went three for five with two runs scored. Paulus had three hits in three trips to the plate, a double and two runs scored. Designated hitter Chris Werr added one hit, one RBI and one run scored. Jacob registered one hit and one run scored. Zach Carroll contributed with two hits (four at bats), a double and one run scored.
Right-hander Travis Zilg was the winning pitcher in relief. He (2-0) threw 3.1 innings and only allowed three hits. Righty Brian Sietsma took the loss for the Profs in relief. In 1.1 innings, he (0-1) gave up two hits and one unearned run.
Kelly went two for five with two doubles and two RBIs. Benak totaled two hits (two at bats), two RBIs and one run scored. Left fielder Rich Powelson had two hits (five at bats), one RBI and two runs scored. Right fielder Nick Kreiger posted three hits in four at bats and scored one run.
Ramapo tied the score at one in the top of the second inning. Carroll doubled in Paulus. In the bottom half, Rowan took the lead with four runs. Powelson had a RBI single that scored Kreiger. Benak's base hit sent home Williams. Kelly knocked in Powelson and Benak with a double.
The Roadrunners trailed 5-2 after one run in the fifth inning. They tied the score with three runs in the seventh. Werr posted a RBI single and Venturino drove in two runs with a base hit. In the bottom of the ninth, the Roadrunners got out of a jam with an game ending double play. Jacob caught a fly ball in shallow center field for the second out and fired home to Ramapo catcher Ryan Rinsky who applied the tag on the runner tagging up from third base for the final out of the game.
#9 Ramapo returns to action when they host Steven Institute of Technology on Tuesday at 3:30pm.