Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team fell to the Lions of The College of New Jersey today in a NJAC double header, 14-2 and 4-1 in eleven innings.

In game one the Roadrunners jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning when senior Joey Cacchiola (Union, NJ) ripped a double to left field with two outs to plate junior Mark Ruggiero (Fairfield, NJ) who reached on a walk earlier in the inning.

The Lions would come back and score ten runs in the top of the fourth inning to take at 10-1 lead. TCNJ pounded out eight hits in the inning while being aided by one Roadrunner error. TCNJ would add two more runs in the sixth inning as senior Chris Esperon tripled to right field plating sophomore Mike Galeotafiore who was hit by a pitch earlier in the inning. Rookie Nick Cifelli knocked home Esperon with a single to center field before Ramapo reliever sophomore Matt Jenisch (Pompton Plains, NJ) struck out the final to batters of the inning.

The Lions added two more runs in the eighth inning to go up 14-1 before the Roadrunners tacked on a run in the bottom half of the inning. Junior Matt Buragina (Matawan, NJ) scored on an infield error; he walked to lead off the inning.

Junior Tim Hannes (Allendale, NJ) (0-4) took the loss; he struck out four and walked one over three innings of work. Cacchiola and sophomores Joseph Somma (Toms River, NJ) and Kevin Knox (Matawan, NJ) each recorded a hit in the game.

Senior Greg Spatz picked up his third win of the season as he struck out six over eight innings of work while only allowing two hits. Rookie Scott Kelly was 2-5 with two RBI and one run scored while Esperon was 3-5 with four runs scored and three RBI. Senior Ryan Anzelone was 2-3 with one run scored and two RBI while sophomore Ed Zakrewski was 3-4 with one runs scored.

The Roadrunners got on the scoreboard first in the first inning of game two, after Somma doubled to left field with one out, and with two outs, sophomore Dan Moreno (Cranford, NJ) singled to left field driving in Somma.

Ramapo pitcher rookie Travis Zilg (North Caldwell, NJ) held the Lions until the top of the fourth inning when Kelly scored tying the game at one run apiece. Kelly singled to left field to lead off the inning before with two outs, Esperon singled to center field driving in Kelly from third.

The game remained that way until in extra innings, top of the 11th, the Lions scored three runs to jump ahead, 4-1. With rookie PJ Cerreto (Paramus, NJ) on the mound for Ramapo and one out, Galeotafiore and Esperon each earned walks before junior John Guagliardo (Staten Island, NY) came to the mound in relief. Guagliardo hit his first batter, rookie Nick Cifelli to load the bases before a passed ball scored Galeotafiore from third. Junior Antonio Imbimbo (Wayne, NJ) took the mound for Ramapo and another run came in on a passed ball before Imbimbo forced rookie Kelly Murphy (Hainesport, NJ) to ground out driving in Cifelli, before Ramapo got the final out of the inning.

Junior Joe Marchitelli recorded a one-two-three bottom of the inning holding onto the double-header sweep by TCNJ. Rookie Robert Graber earned the win for the Lions in seven innings letting up eight hits and one run, striking out one.

Zilg gets the loss for Ramapo, falling to 1-1 on the year. He struck out nine and let up four hits while walking four in ten innings pitched. Kelly led the Lions hitting 2-5 with one run while Esperon and Galeotafiore went 1-4 and 1-2 respectively with one run each. Moreno went 2-3 and rookie Jordan Greenberg (Butler, NJ) 2-5 while Somma hit 1-3 with the lone run.

The Roadrunners return to action when they travel to FDU-Florham on April 7th at 3:30 PM.