Union, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team swept Rutgers-Camden University in NJAC action today 11-7 in game one and 23-6 in game two. With the sweep the Roadrunners improve to 23-11 overall and 13-4 in the NJAC while the Scarlet Raptors now move to 17-20 and 8-9 in the conference.
Game One
Ramapo jumped out to a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning before Rutgers-Camden got on the board with one run in the bottom half of the inning.
In the top of the first inning Ramapo scored three runs for an early lead. Phil Mahlik led off the game with a single before moving to second on a wild pitch.
Liam Duffy laced a single through the infield to put runners on the corners for
Kyle Buser. Buser punched a single through the right side of the infield to plate Mahlik with the first run of the game, 1-0. Following the second out of the inning,
Kellen Hardy drove home two runs with a double to center field as Duffy and
Vincenzo Sita each scored, 3-0. In the top of the fourth, Hardy would make it 4-0 as he led off with a solo home run over the right field wall.
In the bottom half of the inning the Scarlet Raptors plated one run when Chris Jones recorded an RBI double to right-center field, 1-4. Ramapo plated two more runs in the fifth inning when Buser pushed home Mahlik with an RBI fielder's choice and Sita drove home Anthony Kuzmekno with a sac fly, 6-1.
The Scarlet Raptors plated five runs in the fifth inning to tie the game 6-6 highlighted by a grand slam from Mike Yanick. The Roadrunners regained the lead in the top of the seventh scoring four runs. The bases were loaded for Hardy who laced a double down the left field line as it cleared the bases and put Ramapo up, 9-6, before
Matt Carovillano drove home Hardy with his own double down the leftfield line, 10-6.
Rutgers-Camden added one run in the seventh before Ramapo scored their final run in ninth for the 11-7 lead.
CJ Growney started the game for Ramapo earning a no-decision in five innings of work. He struck out four, walked two and scattered seven hits while surrendering six runs.
Kyle Haag (4-2) earned the win in relief, he worked 1.2 innings with two strikeouts, one walk as he let up just one hit and one run.
Jeff Millet worked 1.1 innings on the mound with one strikeout a she surrendered no hits while
Greg Westhelle worked the ninth inning recording three straight strikeouts.
Hardy finished the game 4-4 at the plate with a team high seven RBI and two runs scored while Buser and Duffy each collected three hits.
Game Two
Ramapo pounded out 25 hits in game two to earn a 23-6 victory. Buser led the team at the plate finishing 5-7 with four runs scored and two RBI and a home run shy of the cycle. Kuzmenko led the team with six RBI as he connected on a grand slam in the seventh inning to push the score 23-6.
Heading into the bottom of the second inning Ramapo had plated 12 runs in the game before the Scarlet Raptors plated four in the bottom of the second. The Roadrunners scored two in the third, four in the sixth and five in the seventh while Rutgers-Camden added one run each in the third and fifth innings. The Roadrunners belted out ten doubles, two triples (both by Buser) and one home run in the game.
Riley Weis worked the first three innings for Ramapo as he surrendered ten hits, five runs (four earned) while he struck out one and walked one.
Matt Stewart (1-0) earned the win in relief for Ramapo in three innings of work with one strikeout and two walks. Stewart scattered five hits while surrendering one run.
Dan Russo worked the seventh and eighth innings with three strikeouts and one walk while he scattered three hits.
Billy Keane worked the ninth inning facing the minimum number of batters.
The Roadrunners will return to action tomorrow afternoon as they host Rutgers-Newark University in the final NJAC regular season game at 3:30pm.
