GLASSBORO, NJ – Jason Morgan hit a grand slam and Pat Defeciani hit two homers as #18 Rowan broke out of a four-game skid by dominating Rutgers-Camden, 20-5, in NJAC baseball action. The Profs improve to 14-8 and 2-5 in the league.
Morgan went 3-for-4 with four RBI as he hit his first career grand slam and the Profs' first of the year. Defeciani had a two-run home run and a solo homer to score three times and drove in five runs, while Tyler Cannon went 4-for-6 at the plate and scored three runs as Rowan totaled 20 runs on 19 hits. Phil Sedalis hit a home run as well as he scored three times.
Thomas Sullivan (2-0) went 6.0 innings for the Profs and recorded three strikeouts to earn the victory, with Nick Cugino, Dylan Maria and Ronald Barnebei each working an inning in relief.
The Profs didn't waste any time getting on the board, as Defeciani connected on a two-run shot, his third homer of the year, that scored Cannon. Anthony Schooley added an RBI single and Morgan gave Rowan a 4-0 lead when he scored on a double steal.
Rowan added three more in the second as Cannon's double brought home Chris Serrano. Sedalis singled and after eventually advancing to third, scored on a sacrifice fly from Defeciani and the Profs owned a 7-0 lead.
Rutgers-Camden (18-8; 5-2) scored two in the top of the third but Rowan exploded for 10 runs on five hits and three errors in the bottom of the inning, Among the highlights were RBI singles from Cannon and Defeciani and Morgan's grand slam which brought home Dylan Maria, Defeciani and Sedalis. Serrano added an RBI single to score Schooley and give the Profs an unsurmountable 17-2 lead.
The visitors added two more in the fourth, but Defeciani hit a solo shot to left center for his fourth homer of the year that increased Rowan's lead to 18-4.
Sedalis added a home run of his own, his eighth of the year, when he connected on a two-run shot that allowed Serrano to cross the plate for the second time in the game.
The teams will play the second game of the series on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. in Camden.