Game One - Box Score
Game One - Box Score

STATEN ISLAND, NY – The Rowan University baseball team won 6-1 and 6-2 against Rutgers-Newark on Saturday.  The conference doubleheader was played at Richmond County Bank Ballpark.

Right-hander Steven Melchiorre (sr. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) went the distance on the mound for the victory in the first game.  He (3-3) scattered seven hits and gave up one earned run.  Melchiorre struck out eight batters.  Righty Kyle Van Vliet (sr. Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) was the losing pitcher.  He (2-3) allowed eight hits and six earned runs.

The Profs are 18-9 overall and 5-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.  The Scarlet Raiders have a 7-21 record with a 2-7 conference mark.  Designated hitter Casey Grimes (so. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) led Rowan with two hits (three at bats), a home run and three RBIs.  Third baseman Kevin McMenamin (so. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) contributed with two hits in four at bats, one RBI and one run scored.  Catcher Stephen Petriello (fr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) and right fielder Eric Sellitto (jr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) each had one hit and one RBI.  Sellitto also scored one run.  Left fielder Nick Kreiger (so. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) and shortstop Ryan Williams (so. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) chipped in with one hit and one run scored apiece.

Right fielder Jimmy Napolitano (jr. Livingston, NJ/Livingston) went two for four with a double and one RBI.  Designated hitter Graham Commesso (so. Belmar, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) registered one hit (four at bats) and scored one run. 

The Profs got on the scoreboard with five runs in the fourth inning.  Sellitto singled in Kreiger and McMenamin had a base hit that scored first baseman Sean Kelly (sr. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen).  Grimes followed with a three-run homer to left field.  The Scarlet Raiders’ lone run came in the sixth.  Napolitano drove in Commesso with a double.  Petriello had a RBI single in the seventh inning, scoring Williams.

In the nightcap, right-hander Jeff White (sr. Medford, NJ/Sterling) earned his fourth win on the season.  He (4-0) threw eight innings and had seven strikeouts.  Righty Patrick D’Ascenzo (so. Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) was on the mound for the ninth.  Right-hander Michael Garcia (jr.  New Milford, NJ/Bergen Catholic) took the loss.  In 6.1 innings, he (2-5) allowed eight hits and four runs, two earned.

Second baseman Mark Benak (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) went three for four with a double, a triple, one RBI and two runs scored.  Grimes registered three hits (four at bats), two doubles, a home run, one RBI and three runs scored.  Kelly added one hit and one RBI.  Kreiger posted two hits in five at bats.  Williams had one hit and scored one run. 

For the Scarlet Raiders, center fielder Ryan Macfarlane (fr. Freehold, NJ/Freehold) was three for four with one run scored.  Napolitano produced one hit and scored one run.  First baseman Ryan Maloney (sr. Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) and third baseman Nick Gencarelli (so. Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) each had two hits and one RBI. 

Rutgers-Newark led 1-0 after the first inning.  Maloney drove in Macfarlane with a single to right field.  Rowan went ahead 2-1 in the fifth.  Grimes led off with a double and came home on an error.  Williams scored on a double by Benak.  Both teams had one run in the sixth inning.  Grimes recorded a solo shot to center field.  Gencarelli’s sacrifice fly scored Napolitano. 

The Profs added one run the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.  Kelly had a sacrifice fly that scored Benak who started the seventh inning with a triple.  Grimes crossed the plate on a fielder’s choice in the eighth.  Benak scored in the ninth on Sellitto’s sacrifice fly. 

Next, Rowan has a rescheduled game at Rutgers-Camden on Monday, April 15 at 3:30 p.m.