Newark, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team held off a Rutgers-Newark University comeback as the Roadrunners won, 5-3. Ramapo moves to 13-8 overall and 3-1 in the NJAC while the Scarlet Raiders drop to 15-9 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
John Higgins nearly hit for the cycle in the game for Ramapo and had a hand in three of Ramapo's five runs. Down one run heading to the bottom of the first,
Tyler Guadagno led off with a double and moved to third on an infield ground out. With two outs, Higgins drove home the team's first run with a RBI single to tie the game, 1-1. In the second,
Will Egner led off with a single before
Robert Klawans drilled his second home run of the season over the left field wall for a 3-1 lead. In the sixth inning, Higgins led off and took the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for his second home run of the season to extend the lead, 4-1. Ramapo added their final run of the game in the seventh inning. With one out
Jack Tallent walked and moved to second on a wild pitch before Higgins ripped a triple to the right-center field gap for the 5-1 score.
The Scarlet Raiders added two runs in the top of the eighth with two outs before they loaded the bases.
Gerard Chiricolo entered in relief for the Roadrunners and induced a ground out to end the Rutgers-Newark threat. With two outs in the top of the ninth, the Scarlet Raiders connected on a single before
Will Paoli entered the game for Ramapo on the mound. Paoli induced a fly out to right field to end the game and earn his second save in as many days.
Higgins finished 3-4 with three RBI and one run scored while Klawans finished 2-4 with one run scored and two RBI.
Jack Martin (4-1) struck out five in 7.2 innings of work while he scattered six hits in the victory.
Gerard Chiricolo struck out two in one inning of work while Paoli earned his fourth save of the season.
Ramapo returns to action tomorrow on the road against New Jersey City University in a pair of NJAC games starting at 11:30 AM.
