Ewing, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team split a pair of games on the road at the College of New Jersey this afternoon to open the 2021 season. TCNJ (1-4) came back to take game one 10-6 before the Roadrunners (1-1) defeated the Lions 5-1 in game two.
 
In game one, Ramapo's Kellen Hardy blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence with two outs to put the Roadrunners up 2-0. In the third inning Ramapo tacked on three more runs for a 5-0 lead. Justin Grippo doubled to right field to lead off before he advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt. With two outs Kyle Buser beat out an infield single before moving up one base on a pass ball which allowed Grippo to score for a 3-0 lead. Hardy then laced a double to the right-center field gap plating Buser for the second run of the inning. Hardy later scored an unearned run for the 5-0 lead.
 
The Roadrunners made it 6-0 in the fifth inning when Garett Wiedemann drew a four-pitch walk and later scored on a wild pitch. TCNJ put three runs on the board in the bottom half of the fifth. Chris Reeder drove home Grant Sible with an RBI single before Joe Felipe came home on a wild pitch. Michael Schumacher lifted a sac fly to center field allowing Reeder to score cutting the Ramapo lead, 6-3.
 
In the sixth inning, TCNJ would add six runs on seven hits to take a 9-6 lead. The Lions put one more run on the board in the seventh inning pushing their lead to 10-6. TCNJ was able to hold off the Ramapo offense in the final three innings to take game one.
 
Chris Cassini (1-0) earned the win in relief for the Lions while Ben Arnon earned his first save of the year. Cassini worked 1.2 innings and struck out three, walked two and did not give up a hit while Arnon struck out three, walked three and let up just one hit. Tom Kelly started the game for the Lions. In 4.1 innings of work he struck out four, walked three and let up four hits.
 
For the Roadrunners, Matt Stewart struck out four and walked just one while scattering six hits in five innings of work. Matt Ivanicki (0-1) took the loss, he struck out one and let up six hits in one inning of work. Dan Russo worked the final two innings for the Roadrunners, scattering just two hits. Hardy led the team at the plate finishing game one 2-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
 
In game two, Ramapo put two runs up in the third and fifth innings for a 4-0 lead before TCNJ tacked on one run in the bottom half of the fifth.
 
In the third inning, Grippo walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a fielder's choice by Bryan Franko. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch before Grippo scored on an infield ground out. Hardy then drove home Franko with a hard-hit single to left field for a 2-0 score.
 
Franko launched his first home run of the season in the top of the fifth to take a 4-0 lead. Franko's two-run home run plated Grippo who walked to lead off the inning. TCNJ put their run on the board in the bottom half of the fifth inning when Jack Hayes laced a single to the outfield which plated Aydon Chavis. Ramapo added one run in eighth inning when pinch runner Matt Lalomia was able to steal home to push the score to 5-1.
 
Tim Caufield earned the win on the mound for the Roadrunners in relief. He worked 1.2 innings and did not surrender a hit. James Garthaffner started the game for Ramapo as he struck out six, walked four and scattered six hits in 4.1 innings of work.
 
Franko led the team at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored while Aiden Supp finished 2-3 at the plate.
 
The Roadrunners return to action on Saturday, April 3^rd when they host Montclair State University in a NJAC double header beginning at 11:30am. Please be advised of our updated spectator policy.