Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Elizabethtown College, 4-3 in a nonconference game on Tuesday afternoon.
The Blue Jays were ahead, 3-2 after the top of the ninth inning. Profs’ third baseman Mark Benak (so. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) led off with a single to right field. Shortstop Marc Magliaro (sr. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) lined a double down the left field line allowing Benak to come home and tie the game (3-3). Designated hitter Nick Turano (sr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) was intentionally walked. The runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Rob Wilgus (sr. Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was intentionally walked to load the bases. Pinch hitter Casey Grimes (fr. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) singled through the left side scoring Magliaro for the winning run.
Rowan improves to 20-11, while Elizabethtown has a 17-15 record. The Profs are ranked 22nd in this week’s D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 25 Poll.
Right-hander Ryan Peterson (sr. Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) earned the win in relief. He (4-1) tossed the final 0.1 innings. Left-hander Todd Leister (sr. Stanhope, NJ/Lenape Valley Reg.) took the loss. He (1-1) gave up two earned runs on three hits in the ninth inning.
Magliaro totaled three hits (five at bats), two RBIs, one run scored and a double. Benak went one for three with one run scored. First baseman Kevin McMenamin (fr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) added one hit (four at bats) and one run scored. Second baseman Brandon Winkler (sr. Glendora, NJ/Paul VI) scored once, while center fielder Nick Kreiger (fr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) picked up one RBI. Grimes was one for one with one RBI.
For the Blue Jays, first baseman Steve Motika (sr. Kutztown, PA/Kutztown) produced three hits (four at bats) and two runs scored. Right fielder Pat Mulligan (sr. Middletown, PA/Middletown) chipped in with one hit (four at bats) and one RBI. Designated hitter Luke Gatti (fr. Columbia, PA/Hempfield) tallied one hit (three at bats) and one run scored. Catcher Dillon Tagle (jr. Ringoes, NJ/Hunterdon Central) had two hits in five trips to the plate.
The Profs took a 1-0 lead in the second. McMenamin reached on an error. Left fielder Eric Perez (so. Hopelawn, NJ/Woodbridge) and catcher C.J. Szymczak (jr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) both singled to load the bases. McMenamin came home on Kreiger’s sacrifice fly to center field.
The Blue Jays tied the game (1-1) in the fourth. Motika was hit by a pitch. Tagle followed with a single. Gatti’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. Motika scored on a ground out by Mulligan. Rowan went up, 2-1 with one run in the fifth. Winkler walked and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Benak. Winkler stole third and came home on Magliaro’s single up the middle.
In the top of the sixth, Elizabethtown registered two runs for a 3-2 advantage. Motika led off with a single to right field. He advanced to third on Gatti’s single to center. Motika crossed the plate on a wild pitch and Gatti scored on an error.
Rowan travels to Kean University for a conference game on Thursday, April 19 at 3:30 p.m.
