Center Valley, PA: The Ramapo College baseball team's run in the NCAA Tournament came to a close this afternoon with a 13-8 loss to #4/5 national seed Salve Regina University. The Roadrunners wrap up the season at 31-14 overall while the Seahawks (39-6) move onto the Super Regional round.
Ramapo got on the board first with their first of eight runs scored in the game in the top of the second inning.
Nick Pellegrino led off with a walk, stole second and moved to third base on a ground out. With one out, Knapp drove him in with an RBI ground out to first base for the early 1-0 lead. Salve tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Dylan Cimini led off with a double and later scored on an RBI single from Jake Harring, 1-1. Ramapo came back with four runs in the fifth. A lead off single from
Zach Novakowski and a double from Pellegrino put runners on the corners with no outs before
Julian Schultz came up big with a double down the right field line for the 3-1 lead. Schultz would steal second base and score on a throwing error by Salve to extend the lead, 4-1.
Brandon Tauber punched a single up the middle to plate Knapp, 5-1. The Seahawks got out of a one out jam with a play at the plate for out number two and a fielder's choice as Salve got the runner out at second base on a close play. In the fifth, James Anastasopoulos reached on a Ramapo throwing error that allowed him to advance to second base before a double from Danny Rogers put runners on the corners with no outs for Salve. Evan O'Rourke recorded a sac fly to plate Anastasopoulos before Shane Williams belted a two-run home run. Ramapo got out of a one out jam as they were able to double off Cimini at first base following an infield pop fly out to shortstop. Ramapo shortstop
Braden Schappert made the second out and fired to Pellegrino to first for the third out as the Roadrunners held the 5-4 lead. Ramapo responded with scoring three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead. There were two outs as Ramapo had runners on second and third before
Jack Tallent loaded the bases with a walk.
Dan Maglio then laced a single up the middle to plate both Novakowski and Pellegrino to extend the lead, 7-4. Following a pitching change from Salve, Tauber knocked in one more run for the Roadrunners with a hard-hit single to left field as Tallent came around to score, 8-4. The Seahawks would begin their comeback in the bottom half of the inning scoring three runs on four hits. Grady Schopps lifted a sac fly to plate Harring before O'Rourke singled home Elliot Hamilton before Shane Williams singled home Anastasopoulos to come within one, 8-7. In the seventh, the Seahawks would take a 12-8 lead with five runs on six hits and one Ramapo error. Salve would add their final run of the game in the bottom of the ninth as Schoops plated Harring with an RBI double, 13-8. The Roadrunners did not go away quietly in the top of the ninth.
Julian Caruso worked a four-pitch walk before Novakowski singled with one out. Salve was able to get out of the jam inducing a line out to right field and a ground out to the pitcher to end the game and send the Seahawks to the Super Regionals.
Williams led Salve at the plate in the game finishing 3-5 with five RBI and one run scored while O'Rourke and Schopps each drove in three RBI on two hits. Connor Toriello (1-0) earned the win on the mound for Salve Regina in relief as he worked the final 3.1 innings. He scattered three hits and held the Roadrunners scoreless with three strikeouts and just one walk.
The Roadrunners scored eight runs off Salve Regina in today's game which was just the ninth time that the Seahawks have given up eight or more runs in a game this season. At the plate, Tallent finished 3-4 with one run scored while Novakowski, Pellegrino, Maglio and Tauber all collected two hits. Maglio, Tauber and Schultz all collected two RBI in the game. On the mound,
John Hacker (7-3) took the loss in relief as he surrendered seven hits and five runs.
Thomas Schlaline struck out one, walked none and gave up 11 hits and seven runs (six earned) in 5.2 innings of work.
Cody Quagliato struck out two and scattered two hits in the final 1.1 innings on the mound for the Roadrunners.
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