Game One - Box Score
Game Two - Box Score
GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team swept SUNY Oneonta, 7-1 and 6-0 in a doubleheader. It was the Profs’ home opener on Saturday.
Rowan is undefeated with a 5-0 record while Oneonta is 0-2 overall. Right-hander Steven Melchiorre (sr. Atco, NJ/Hammonton) was the winning pitcher in the first game. In six innings, Melchiorre (1-0) scattered three hits and struck out nine batters. Lefty Steve Ascher took the loss. He pitched 3.1 innings and gave up three runs, one earned.
Designated hitter Ryan Easterday (so. Westmont, NJ/Haddon Twp.) paced the Profs with three hits in four at bats and one run scored. Center fielder Eric Perez (jr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge) contributed with two hits (three at bats), one double, one RBI and one run scored. Second baseman Mark Benak (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) totaled one double, one RBI and two runs scored. Third baseman Kevin McMenamin (so. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) added a double, one RBI and one run scored. Right fielder Eric Sellitto (jr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) and catcher Stephen Petriello (fr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) each chipped in with one hit and one run scored. First baseman Sean Kelly (sr. North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) had one RBI.
For Oneonta, catcher Stephen Provenzano was one for three with one RBI. Second baseman Jake Robinson and third baseman Chris Orlando had one hit apiece while designated hitter Matt Salvatore scored the run.
The Profs were ahead 3-0 after scoring one run in the second, third and fourth innings. Easterday scored on Perez’s ground out in the second and Benak came home on an error in the third. In the fourth, Sellitto crossed the plate on a passed ball. The Red Dragons’ lone run came in the fifth. Provenzano singled to right center, scoring Salvatore.
Rowan tacked on four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Perez led off with a double to left field and later scored on an error. McMenamin knocked in Petriello with a double to right field. Benak reached base on a double and went to third on an error. McMenamin scored on Benak’s double. Kelly’s sacrifice fly brought home Benak.
In the nightcap, right-hander Carlos Ruiz (jr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) went seven innings for the victory. He (1-0) only gave up three hits and had four strikeouts. Righty Alex Mastrianni was the losing pitcher. In seven innings, he allowed five hits and two runs, one earned.
Kelly led the way with three hits (four at bats), three RBIs and one run scored. Benak was two for four with two doubles and two runs scored. Catcher C.J. Szymczak (sr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) produced two hits (four at bats), one double and one run scored. Left fielder Scott Bruno (jr. Middletown, NJ/Middletown S.) and Perez each produced one hit and one RBI. Bruno also scored one run.
Center fielder Rob Peluso totaled two hits (three at bats) for the Red Dragons. Shortstop Ivan Plata, right fielder Chris Romano and second baseman Jake Robinson all had one hit.
Rowan was ahead 2-0 after one run in the first and second innings. In the first, Benak had a double to left field and he came home on Kelly’s single. Szymczak scored on an error in the second inning after getting on base with a double down the left field line. The Profs produced four runs in the eighth inning. Kelly recorded a two RBI single and he scored on Bruno’s base hit. Perez drove in Bruno with a single through the left side.
Next, Rowan plays at home on Tuesday, March 5 against Haverford College at 3 p.m.
