Mahwah , NJ : The Ramapo College baseball team played host to the Ospreys of Richard Stockton today at Jeff Maund Field in a NJAC doubleheader match-up. The Roadrunners rallied from a 7-4 6th inning deficit to take game one, 10-8 while the Ospreys took control of game two earning a 7-1 victory. The Roadrunners now stand at 11-7 overall, 2-3 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference while Stockton holds a 7-6 overall record, 2-2 in the conference.
Game 1: The Ospreys jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st after senior Travis LaFerriere (Millville, NJ ) walked and Brian Paras (Cape May, CH) reached on an error to lead off. With one out, Chris Freihaut (Hamilton, NJ ) ripped a double bringing home both for the two run edge. Ramapo rallied back with two outs in the bottom of the inning taking a 3-2 lead off a BRAD SZATKIEWICZ (Branchville, NJ ) single to right, a STEVE SANTORELLA (Redding, CT ) walk with bases loaded, and a MIKE JAKUPCIONIS (Edison, NJ ) single to right. Scoring was senior AARON EYLER (Edison, NJ), senior DOUG ADAY (Dallas, TX), and senior DOUG MEIER (Clifton, NJ) who singled, singled, and walked respectively to get on base.
After a scoreless 2nd inning, Stockton came out in the 3rd jumping out to a two-run, 5-3 lead with three runs off two hits. With two outs and runners on first and second, Mike Liquori (Manahawkin, NJ ) ripped a single scoring Freihaut and Ross Karrer (Mays Landing, NJ) followed with a double bringing in two more. Stockton added two more in the 5th taking a 7-3 lead before Ramapo got one more on the board in the 6th closing the gap to 7-4.
The Roadrunners, down 8-4 in the 7th, rallied once again scoring five, jumping ahead nine runs to eight. After Doug Caracappa (Plainsboro, NJ ) retired the first two batters of the inning, SANTORELLA stepped to the plate and drove a single to left to start the flood. JAKUPCIONIS followed with a single and rookie CHRIS SOMJEN (Dover, NJ ) was hit by a pitch loading the bases. Matt Goumas (Piscataway, NJ ) took over pitching duties for the Ospreys and walked in a run before NICK SBARRA (Washington Twp., NJ) reached on an error that scored JAKUPCIONIS. EYLER singled driving in two and ADAY hit a single of his own driving in SBARRA taking a 9-8. Ramapo posted one more run in the bottom of the 8th and held on in the 9th earning the come-from-behind 10-8 victory.
Rookie FLORIAN WOUTERS (Ramsey, NJ ) earned the win pitching one inning improving to 1-0 while Goumas takes the loss facing three batters, letting up two runs, one earned.
Game 2: The Ospreys scattered their seven runs across six innings posting their first in the top of the 2nd. Junior Jon Faust (Somerset, NJ ) hit a single to right to lead off and later scored when Chris Arecchi (Hazlet, NJ ) hit a sac fly to centerfield. LaFerriere tripled to centerfield and Pat Goodwin (Mays Landing, NJ) laid down a bunt bringing him home, taking a 2-0 lead after three. Goodwin singled with two outs in the 5th which brought home Arecchi who reached on an error to lead off the inning and Karrer and Freihaut each added runs in the 6th for a five run Osprey lead. The Roadrunners finally got on the board in the bottom of the 6th when EYLER grounded out with bases loaded bringing home ANTHONY ANDRADE (Bloomfield, NJ) who pitch hit singling to centerfield to lead off. The Ospreys added one more in the 7th and another in the 9th recording the 7-1 win over Ramapo.
Rookie pitcher CHRIS STANISCE (Glassboro, NJ) records the loss (1-2) pitching six innings striking out three, letting up five runs while Dave Hall (Southampton, NJ) improves to 2-1 with the win in the complete game. Hall struck out nine and walked none letting up one run and five hits.
The Roadrunners will take on NJAC rival Rowan University tomorrow, April 10th at noon on Jeff Maund Field at Ramapo.
