Mahwah, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team split a NJAC double header today against rival #17 The College of New Jersey. The Lions shutout the Roadrunners in game one 6-0 while Ramapo came back in game two to win 6-3. TCNJ is now 14-6 overall, 4-1 in the NJAC while the Roadrunners now stand at 9-10 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
In game one, TCNJ's Joe Cirillo (2-0) kept the Roadrunners off the board with a complete game ten-strikeout performance only surrendering four hits. Thomas Persichetti and Mike Follet each collected three hits to lead the team while Persichetti and CJ Gearhart plated two RBI a piece to pace the Lions to a 6-0 win.
In game two, Ramapo scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning for a 2-0 lead.
Mario Fontanella walked with one out before
Bobby Shannon ripped a double to the right-center field gap to put runners on second and third. Following the second out of the inning,
Joe Maugeri plated both runners with a hard hit single to center field.
TCNJ would tie the game in the top of the third when Zach Shindler hit a two-out triple to deep center field allowing Ben Varone and Persichetti to score to tie the game at two. The Lions would scratch a run across in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. Tommy McCarthy hit an RBI ground out to third base allowing Gearhart to score; Gearhart walked to lead off the inning.
Ramapo's big inning game in the fifth when they scored four runs on four hits. Maugeri singled, moved to second on a sac bunt from
Austin Unglaub and moved to third on
Rob DeAngelis' single to put runner's on the corners with one out.
Brandon Martinez then laced a single to center field allowing Maugeri to score before
Connor Walsh walked to load the bases with one out.
Joe Crabbe pinch hit for Ramapo and was hit by a pitch allowing DeAngelis to touch home plate for a 4-3 lead. With two outs, Shannon ripped a double to right field plating Martinez and Walsh for a 6-3 score. Neither team would score the rest of the game as the Roadrunners earned a key NJAC conference victory.
Ramapo starting pitcher Corey Heitler (1-2) struck out eight, walked two and scattered four hits over 6.2 innings of work.
Greg Westhelle earned a save in 2.1 innings of work with two strikeouts; two walks and he did not give up a hit.
The Roadrunners return to action tomorrow afternoon at 1pm at Jeff Maund Field as they host NJAC rival Kean University to complete the home-and-home series. Ramapo defeated Kean on the road on Friday night 8-2.
