Game 1 - Box Score
Game 2 - Box Score
MAHWAH, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team split a New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) doubleheader at Ramapo College on Saturday. The Profs won the opener, 16-2 and the Roadrunners took the second game, 7-6 in 11 innings.
Rowan is 17-8 overall and 3-3 in the conference. Ramapo has a 15-7 record with a 2-4 NJAC mark. In the D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Top 25 Poll, the Profs are ranked ninth and the Roadrunners are 24th. Rowan is also ranked 15th in the American Baseball Coaches Association/Collegiate Baseball Division III Poll.
In the first game, right-hander Steven Melchiorre (jr. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) pitched seven innings for the win. He (3-0) scattered six hits and gave up two earned runs. Melchiorre registered 10 strikeouts. Righty Frank Baldini (jr. Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) took the loss. He (3-3) surrendered six runs, three earned in 4.2 innings.
The Profs totaled 23 hits. Third baseman Mark Benak (so. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) went four for six with four RBIs, two runs scored and two doubles. Shortstop Marc Magliaro (sr. Monroe Twp., NJ/Monroe Twp.) posted two hits (three at bats), three RBIs and two runs scored. Designated hitter Nick Turano (sr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) tallied three hits (four at bats) and three RBIs. Right fielder Matt Hill (sr. Hamilton Square, NJ/Robbinsville) was two for four with two runs scored and a double. Catcher C.J. Szymczak (jr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) added two hits (six at bats) and two RBIs.
Left fielder Eric Perez (so. Hopelawn, NJ/Woodbridge) collected two hits (three at bats) and three runs scored. Second baseman Brandon Winkler (sr. Glendora, NJ/Paul VI) contributed with two hits (three at bats), three runs scored, one RBI and a double. Pinch hitter Rob Wilgus (sr. Woolwich, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was two for two with one run scored. Center fielder Nick Kreiger (fr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) compiled a double (three at bats), two runs scored and one RBI. Pinch hitter Scott Bruno (so. Middletown, NJ/Middletown N.) chipped in with one hit (two at bats) and one run scored.
For Ramapo, third baseman Christian Spurr (jr. Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills) went two for three with one RBI. Center fielder John Capuano (so. Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey) followed with two hits (three at bats) and one run scored. Left fielder Rich Policastro (fr. Lodi, NJ/Lodi) hit a solo home run.
The Roadrunners took a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Spurr singled to left field and Capuano scored. The Profs went ahead, 2-1 in the fourth. Benak plated Magliaro with a double to left center field. Turano’s single knocked in Benak. Rowan tacked on five runs in the fifth. Winkler ripped a RBI double that brought Perez home. Benak’s double allowed Winkler and Kreiger to come in. Turano and Szymczak each added a RBI single.
The Profs recorded four runs in the sixth and three in the seventh. Kreiger produced a RBI double in the sixth. Magliaro drove in two runs with a single and Turano had a RBI single. In the seventh, Magliaro grounded out with the bases loaded and Perez scored. Winkler crossed the plate on a passed ball and Benak drove in Bruno with a single. Ramapo’s second run came on Policastro’s solo homer in the bottom of the seventh. Rowan picked up one run in the eighth and ninth innings. Wilgus singled in the eighth and later scored on a wild pitch. Hill came home on a ground out by Szymczak in the ninth.
In the nightcap, the game was tied (5-5) after 10 innings. Rowan got one run in the top of the 11th for a 6-5 advantage. Winkler led off with a double to left field and later scored on an error. In the bottom half, second baseman Marco Carolla (sr. Landisville, NJ/Buena Reg.) knocked in shortstop Kevin Case (fr. Brick, NJ/St. Rose) with a single. First baseman Ian Osterman (fr. Norwood, NJ/Northern Valley Old Tappan) followed with a single to right field that drove in catcher Dan McEldowney (fr. Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) for the winning run.
Right-hander PJ Cerreto (jr. Paramus, NJ/Paramus) earned the win in relief. He (4-1) tossed the final inning without allowing a hit. Righty Christian Rahman (jr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) took the loss. He (0-1) gave up one earned run on two hits in 0.2 innings.
The Roadrunners were led by Carolla with three hits (six at bats), one RBI and one run scored. Designated hitter Zach Carroll (fr. Chestnut Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) tallied two hits (five at bats) and four RBIs. Catcher Chris Werr (fr. Pequannock, NJ/Pequannock) was two for five with one run scored and a double. Case posted one hit (four at bats) and one run scored. Policastro produced one hit (four at bats), one RBI, one run scored and a double. Pinch runner James Hardgrove (fr. Hillsborough, NJ/Immaculata), Capuano and McEldowney all scored once.
For Rowan, pinch hitter Sean Kelly (jr. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) hit a two run homer. Winkler went two for five with one RBI, one run scored and a double. Perez added one hit (three at bats) and two runs scored. First baseman Casey Grimes (fr. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) tallied one hit (three at bats) and one run scored. Benak chipped in with one hit (five at bats) and one RBI.
The Profs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Grimes singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. He stole third base and Winkler drove him in with a single. The Roadrunners went ahead, 3-1 in the bottom half. Werr doubled to center field and he went to third on a single by Carolla. Policastro ripped a double down the left field line and Werr came home. Carroll’s single allowed Policastro and Carolla to cross the plate.
Rowan cut the deficit to one (3-2) with one run in the fifth. Perez walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. He advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch. The Profs tied the game (3-3) in the seventh. Perez led off with a single through the left side. Benak knocked him in with a single to center field. Kelly’s two run shot in the top of the 10th, gave Rowan a 5-3 advantage. The Roadrunners pulled even with two runs in the bottom half. Carroll hit a two run single up the middle that plated Capuano and Hardgrove.
Rowan hosts Widener University in a nonconference game on Tuesday, April 10 at 3:30 p.m.
