Washington, DC:  The Ramapo College baseball team opened their 2016 season today with a double-header sweep over the Cardinals of Catholic University, 4-3 and 6-1.  Both games were just seven innings as the Roadrunners open the year at 2-0 overall.
 
Ramapo fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the 1st inning in game one after Jake Crist ripped a three run home run with one out and a Ramapo error.  There were three innings of scoreless ball until the Roadrunners knotted the game in the top of the 5th.  Scott Paulus walked to lead off the inning and Ryan MacNaughton reached on an error to touch first base, before Ryan Rinsky slammed a double to right field to drive in Kevin Cagnetta who pinch ran for Paulus.  Rob DeAngelis followed with a double of his own driving in MacNaughton and Rinsky to cross the game-tying run.
 
In an inning of an error, a balk, a fielder's choice, a walk, and a passed ball, the Roadrunners were able to cross what turned out to be the game winning run in the top of the 6^th when Austin Unglaub, who pinch ran for Joe Crabbe, crossed the plate to take the game.  Crabbe laid down a bunt earlier in the inning to get on base.  John Doherty and Tyler Curto closed out the game for Ramapo in the final innings giving Ramapo the one run, 4-3 victory.
 
Brian Cottrell earns the win pitching 5 1/3 innings.  He struck out seven and walked just one letting up five hits and two earned runs.  DeAngelis went 2-4 on the day driving in two runs and Rinsky hit 1-2 with one run scored and one RBI.  Unglaub scored a run and Cagnetta crossed home plate, while MacNaughton posted a run of his own in the win.  Crist led Catholic hitting 2-3 with one run scored and all three RBI.  David Gately gets the loss pitching five innings.  He let up three hits and all three runs.  He struck out eight in the loss.
 
In game two, Mike Campbell earned his first win of the season pitching five innings and letting up just four hits as Kyle Haag and Jerry D'Andrea pitched the final two innings of the game shutting out the Cardinals and giving Ramapo the 6-1 win.
 
The Cardinals would again get on the scoreboard first scoring a run in the bottom of the 1^st with a solo home run from John Palladino to lead off the inning.  It wasn't enough as Ramapo crossed six runs in the 5^th inning to take a commanding 6-1 lead over Catholic.  With two outs and a runner on third, Connor Walsh ripped a single to right field to score one.  Brandon Martinez drove in Walsh with a single to center to go ahead 2-1 before Unglaub would drive in Crabbe with another single to right field.  Bobby Shannon singled to left field driving in Martinez and Unlaub before Rinsky scored the final run of the inning, and the game, on a wild pitch.  Martinez and Unglaub each went 2-4 in the win with one run and one RBI each, while Shannon hit 2-3 with one RBI.  Walsh drove in one and scored one as he hit 1-4 on the day. Campbell finished the day striking out eight in the five innings.  He walked just one and let up just four hits and one run. 
 
Catholic was led by Palladino who went 1-2 with one run scored and one run driven in.  Colin Kelly gets the loss as he went 4 2/3 innings striking out three, walking three, and letting up four hits and four earned runs.
 
The Roadrunners return to action on March 11^th when they travel to the Russ Matt Tournament opening with Coe College at 12:45pm in double-header action.