Mahwah, NJ: The Rutgers-Newark University baseball team defeated Ramapo College 12-6 today in the final NJAC conference game of the season. With the win the Scarlet Raiders earn the #6 seed in the upcoming NJAC Baseball Tournament which starts tomorrow afternoon. The Roadrunners earn the #3 seed in the tournament and will host rival #4 seed the College of New Jersey at 3:30pm tomorrow at Jeff Maund Field.
The Scarlet Raiders held off a Ramapo comeback as they move to 15-17 overall and 9-9 in the NJAC while the Roadrunners now stand at 23-12 overall and 13-5 in the conference.
David Vasquez (2-0) kept the Roadrunners in check for eight innings to earn his second win of the season. He struck out three, walked five and scattered six hits while surrendering three runs (two earned). Marcus James worked the ninth for the Scarlet Raiders; he struck out one, walked one and surrendered four hits and three runs. Rutgers-Newark scored 12 runs over the first five innings including three in the first, one in the second, four in the third and two in both the fourth and fifth innings. They belted out 16 hits as John Klimowich led the team with three RBI, finishing 2-6 with one run scored. Connor Clare finished 3-4 with one run scored and one RBI while Michael Streim and Lisandro Ulerio each collected two hits in the game. Ulerio knocked home two RBI while Gerardo Reyes finished with two RBI of his own.
Ramapo got on the board in the bottom of the second inning.
Vincenzo Sita led off with a single, went to second on a throwing error and moved to third on a wild pitch. He later scored on a wild pitch, 1-4. In the bottom of the fourth, Ramapo added two runs to push the score, 3-10.
Kyle Buser drew a leadoff walk before Sita poked a single up the middle and
Kellen Hardy walked to load the bases with no outs. Buser came home when Rutgers-Newark turned a double play before
Matt Carovillano plated Sita with a single to left field.
The Scarlet Raptors added two runs in the fifth for their final runs of the game before Ramapo tacked on three runs in the ninth.
Bryan Franko laced a one out double to left field before
Philip Mahlik singled to left field, which allowed Franko to move up to third base. The relay throw back into the field got sailed wide of home plate allowing Franko to race home with the first run of the inning.
Vincent Timpanelli would later belt his second home run of the season over the left field wall, a two-run shot as Mahlik scored to push the score 6-12. James induced a strikeout swinging to end the game and as Rutgers-Newark earned the NJAC road win.
