Center Valley, PA: The Ramapo College baseball team staved off elimination from the NCAA Tournament with a second thrilling victory tonight 11-5 over DeSales University. The Roadrunners (31-13) move on to the NCAA Regional Championship game against Salve Regina University. DeSales wrapped up their season at 34-14 overall.
The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after Bobby Dingell reached on a Ramapo error and Jack Sague scored on the play. The Roadrunners would tie the game on a DeSales error as
Brandon Tauber walked and later scored on the error, 1-1.
Nick Pellegrino gave Ramapo a 2-1 lead with a double to the left field wall to plate
Julian Caruso.
Julian Schultz then ripped a single up the middle to plate Pellegrino for the 3-1 lead. With one out and runners on first and third for the Bulldogs, Ramapo starting pitcher
Michael Zalinkanskas recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. In the fifth, Caruso walked, Schappert singled and Novakowski was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Pellegrino recorded a sac fly to plate Caruso, 4-1. Schultz singled to right field as Schappert scored before Tallent laced a single to left field to which plated Novakowski. Schultz moved up one base on the hit and scored as the relay throw was misplayed, 7-1. The Roadrunners added three runs in the sixth to extend their lead, 10-1. In the sixth, DeSales added two runs on a bases loaded walk and a balk before Jacob Rivera singled home two RBI in the eighth to cut the lead in half, 10-5. Ramapo got one back in the top of the ninth as Schultz led off the inning being hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch, 11-5.
Ramapo reliever
Kevin Penny worked out of a small jam in the ninth after walking the leadoff batter. Penny induced a 6-4-3 double play before getting a ground out to first base to end the game to secure the victory.
Michael Zalinkanskas (8-2 overall) earned the win for Ramapo as he struck out 11 including his 100th of his career. He walked five and let up eight hits and five runs (four earned) in 7.1 innings of work. Penny worked the final 1.2 innings striking out two, walking two and surrendering just one hit. The Roadrunners tallied nine hits in the game as they worked eight walks. Schutlz led the way with four RBI as he finished 3-4 with two runs scored. Pellegrino finished 1-4 with two RBI including the go-ahead RBI in the third inning to give Ramapo a 2-1 lead.
The Roadrunners will take on #4/5 national seed Salve Regina tomorrow morning at 11:00am back at Weiland Park. The Roadrunners will have to win game one to force a winner take all game two.
