Auburndale, FL: The Eastern Connecticut State University baseball team held off a late game comeback from Ramapo College to win, 10-8. The Warriors improve to 9-2 overall while the Roadrunners now stand at 7-4 on the year.
The Warriors scored one in the top of the first inning before Ramapo took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first.
Zach Novakowski drove in
Julian Caruso and
Jack Tallent with a hard-hit single to center field. Eastern Connecticut scored two in the second, one in the third and two in the top of the fifth to take a 6-2 lead. Ramapo got two back in the bottom half of the fifth.
Nick Pellegrino singled home Julian Schults to cut the lead in half before
Brandon Tauber worked a bases loaded walk which allowed Tallent to score. In the top of the sixth the Warriors added two runs to push their lead to 8-4. Ramapo would cut the Warrior lead to just one in the bottom of the sixth. With two runners on and no out, Tallent launched a three-run home run over the left field wall to cut the lead, 8-7. Eastern Connecticut extended their lead for the final time with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, 10-7. Ramapo added their final run in the bottom of the eighth when
Dan Maglio hit a solo home run with two outs, 10-8.
Thomas Schlaline (1-1) took the loss on the mound for the Roadrunners. He struck out five, walked three and surrendered five hits and eight runs (six earned). At the plate the Roadrunners were led by Tallent as he finished 3-5 with three runs scored and three RBI while Caruso and Novakowski each finished with two hits.
The Roadrunners return to action tomorrow at 10:00 AM when they take on Saint John's University (MN) at the NorthEast Regional Park Complex.
