Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team defeated NJAC rival Montclair State University 6-5 today at Jeff Maund Field. The Roadrunners raise their overall record to 15-4 on the year and 2-0 in the NJAC while the Red Hawks fall to 8-8 and 1-1 in the NJAC.
Montclair scored one run to start the game as Scott Evangelist walked and later scored on an Andy Vicaro double to centerfield. In the second Marc Palestina was hit by a pitch to reach base and later scored from third on a pass ball and Tom Meyer scored on a single to right field by Andy Himmelfarb to plate two more runs for Montclair.
Ramapo scored two runs in the bottom frame of the second and third innings.
Jordan Descafano (Toms River, NJ) and
Gino Gallagher (Cedar Grove, NJ) both singled to start the second before
Nick Sbarra (Washington Twp., NJ) singled past the second basemen to pick up the RBI. In the third, Justin Rabinowtiz (Martinsville, NJ) reached base on an error and was able to take second base on the play. He later scored on an error by the shortstop. Montclair State would get one back in the top of the fourth inning as Himmelfarb singled to start the inning and later scored on a pass ball. Ramapo also scored one in the bottom half of the fourth as
John Callandrello (Montville, NJ) recorded a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Joe Cacchiola (Union, NJ) from third. Montclair State would get their final run of the game in the top of the fifth inning as Ed Kloepping scored on a Kevin Couzzi sacrifice fly to center field, making the score 5-3.
The Roadrunners picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth as Cacchiola doubled home
Tim Gaven (Union, NJ). The Red Hawks were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings by pitcher
Dan Mulligan (Wilmington, DE) as he did not let up a hit as he faced seven batters. In the bottom half of the sixth, Ramapo tied up the game when
Skyler Conte (Kinnelon, NJ) hit a single past the shortstop to score pinch runner
John McGuckin (Bayonne, NJ). Cacchiola came into pitch the final three innings, holding the Red Hawks to only one hit and had four strikeouts, all looking. In the seventh he came into the game with a runner on third with no outs and caught two Red Hawks looking at strike three and one ground out to end the Montclair scoring threat. Cacchiola had a 1-2-3 8th inning as he struck out two and got a ground ball out to shortstop.
Ramapo took the lead in the 8th inning when Descafano ripped a double down the left field line to plate
David Deredita (Clark, NJ) from first base with the winning run. The Roadrunners held Montclair State in the 9th to pick up their 15th win of the season and second in the conference.
Cacchiola was the game winner for Ramapo improving to 2-0 on the year. Enrique Gomez suffered the loss for Montclair State falling to 1-2 on the season.
Cacchiola and Descafano were both 2-4 with one run scored and one RBI while Conte was 1-2 with one RBI.
The Roadrunners will be on the road against Rutgers Camden for a NJAC double header on Saturday, game time is set for 12:00 PM.
