HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 2, 2014) – The Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team put together a close to perfect all-around performance to come away with a 6-1 victory over Ramapo College on Wednesday afternoon at Dobbelaar Field. With the win, Stevens is now 10-4 overall and Ramapo is also 10-4.
Ramapo drew two walks in the first inning and had runners at the corners with two outs, but a diving catch by junior Brian Hennelly (Holbrook, N.J.) on a sinking line drive ended the threat.
The Ducks placed their first two batters on with back-to-back singles from sophomore Nicholas Sieber (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Hennelly. After a walk to senior Dan Allen (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) loaded the bases with no outs, sophomore Jayson Yano (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) stroked an RBI single off the right-centerfield wall to bring home Sieber for the first run of the game. Stevens' next three hitters were unable to produce another run and the bases were left loaded.
In the top of the third, Ramapo attempted to score from second on a base hit to left field but junior Ryan Mannello (Staten Island, N.Y.) threw out the Roadrunner at the plate to preserve the shutout.
Ramapo had another opportunity to tie the ballgame up in the sixth after loading the bases with two outs. Junior Matt Buccheri (Little Silver, Md.) worked out of the jam with a strikeout to keep Stevens ahead, 1-0.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Allen staked the Ducks to a 2-0 lead with a line drive homerun to right field to begin the inning.
Stevens made its third spectacular defensive play in the seventh as freshman Michael Mule' (Boca Raton, Fla.) entered the contest in center and immediately made an impact. Ramapo's Ian Osterman drilled a one-hopper off the right-center wall and tried to leg out a double, but Mule' denied the extra base hit with a perfect throw.
The Ducks strung together three runs in the seventh to go ahead, 5-0, after senior Curt Lowenstein (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) reached on an error to start the rally. Sieber then singled and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Hennelly drove in Lowenstein with a base hit to left and then Allen doubled to the gap to push Sieber home. With the bases loaded, sophomore pinch hitter Tyler Bush (Bristol, Conn.) walked to bring home classmate Thomas Sheridan (Staten Island, N.Y.), who entered as a pinch runner.
Mannello threw another runner out in the eight at first base after he moved to right field for the third outfield assist for the Ducks and fourth outstanding play of the game by the outfielders.
Stevens tacked on one more in the eighth on an RBI single from junior Gregg Nickels (Simpsonville, S.C.) that plated freshman Harrison Kaye (North Brunswick, N.J.).
Ramapo scored once in the ninth on a ground-rule double to left field.
Freshman Zeph Walters (Diamond Bar, Calif.) started the game for Stevens and tossed four innings. Walters did not factor into the decision but struck out four batters and gave up four hits. Junior Matt Buccheri (Little Silver, N.J.) picked up the win in three innings of relief with four punch outs.
Senior Mark Poinsett (Ocean Gate, N.J.) fanned two in an inning of work and junior Gary Boardman (Staten Island, N.Y.) tossed the final inning of the game and recorded two strikeouts.
In all, the four hurlers combined for 12 strikeouts which is the eighth time this season that the Stevens staff has eclipsed 10-plus strikeouts.
The Ducks host a pair of doubleheaders this weekend against Ithaca College. Stevens and Ithaca meet up at 4 p.m. on Saturday and then begin Sunday at 12 p.m. Sunday marks the second annual Birthplace in Baseball Classic where a two-inning exhibition game will be played between the Hoboken H9 Baseball Team using original rules.
Facebook: "Like" Stevens Athletics
Twitter: @stevensducks
Instagram: @stevensducks