Union, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team defeated #5 Kean University this afternoon, 12-7. The Roadrunners improve to 15-8 overall and 3-3 in the NJAC while the Cougars now stand at 19-6-1 overall and 4-2 in the conference.
The Roadrunners took a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as both runs came across on wild pitches from the Cougars. Kean cut the lead in half in the top of the second with a run of their own before they took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth. The Cougars plated three runs on four hits to take a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning before they added a sac fly from Dominic Masino in the sixth for a 5-2 score. Ramapo came back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run from
Eric Knapp, his first of the season, to shrink the Kean lead, 5-4. The Cougars extended their lead in the top of the eighth inning, plating one run. Justin Teixeira led off with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch, 6-4.
Braden Schappert tied the game for the Roadrunners with a two-RBI single before
Brandon Tauber drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single as
Eric Knapp scored, 7-6.
Julian Caruso then drove in Schappert with an RBI double before
Zach Novakowski laced a single down the right field to drive in two more RBI and a 10-6 lead. Schultz singled home
Jack Tallent before Knapp lifted a sac fly to left field to extend the lead, 12-6. Dominic Masino added the final run of the game for the Cougars with a sac fly in the ninth before Ramapo reliever
James Kahn got the final out of the inning via a strikeout to preserve the victory for the Roadrunners.
Knapp led the way for Ramapo with three RBI as he finished 2-3 with two runs scored. Novakowski finished 3-4 with two runs scored and two RBI while Schultz finished 2-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Carlo Lalomia, Jr. (1-1) earned the win in relief for the Roadrunners.
The Ramapo College baseball team returns to action tomorrow afternoon when they travel to Alvernia College for a non-conference game starting at 3:30pm.
