Mahwah, NJ: The #3 seeded Ramapo College baseball team played host to the #4 seeded Lions of the College of New Jersey in the opening round of the 2019 NJAC Championship Tournament. In game one of a double elimination tournament, the Lions defeated the Roadrunners, 9-2. The Roadrunners stand at 23-13 overall and the Lions improve to 28-9.
The Lions got on the board first in the top of the 1st inning when Danny Borup crossed home plate after leading off with a single to right field. The Roadrunners would tie the game as Philip Mahlik tripled to right to lead off the bottom of the inning and came home on a sac fly from Anthony Kuzmenko.
In the top of the 2nd the Lions tacked on runs from Cameron Cane and Gary Otten before Matt Giacose came home on a single to left to take a 4-1 lead. Borup would cross the plate giving the Lions a 5-1 lead. Giacose would step up to bat in the 3rd inning with one out on the board to send the ball into left center. The Roadrunners would put Kyle Haag on the mound before Borup would earn the RBI with a single to right center, 6-1.
The Roadrunners would score one run in the bottom of the 6th inning. Liam Duffy stepped up to the plate with two outs on the board and sent the ball through the left side to get on base and would go on to steal second base. Kyle Buser then drove the ball down the right field line allowing Duffy to come home, 2-6. The Lions would tack on the final three runs of the game in the top of the seventh inning to take the game, 9-2.
Buser led the Roadrunners at the plate going 2-3 with a RBI and Mahlik was 2-4 with one run scored. Kevin Stewart took the loss (5-1) for the Roadrunners pitching 2.1 innings, striking out four, scattering six hits and giving up six runs. Haag faced 14 batters striking out three, scattering three hits and giving up three runs. Jeff Millet worked 3.0 innings on the mound with five strike outs and allowing one hit.
The Roadrunners will move on to face #6 Rutgers-Newark in game 5 of the NJAC Tournament on Friday at 3:30pm at Kean University.