Photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
The baseball team played their first two home games of the season on Sunday in a doubleheader against Penn State Berks.
After a game one 8-4 victory, junior Joe Venturino ended game two on a walk-off three-run home run to bring the Roadrunners to a 9-6 victory.
“It felt pretty great, like a dream,” said Venturino. “I never [hit a walk-off] before, I was never on a team that did it before. I wasn’t even trying to do it. I just wanted a sac fly with a guy on third and one out.”
It was Venturino’s fifth home run of the year.
“Walk-offs are the greatest,” added head coach Rich Martin. “And it was crushed. Into the street.”
Martin said he was very excited to finally play on his team’s home field for the first time in 2015.
“It was awesome; we’re so thrilled with our new sound system and our new scoreboard,” said Martin. “They made everything much classier. It’s like a real baseball field, and we had a huge crowd.”
Senior Chriss Werr went 3-4 in game one after a 3-19 slump.
“I got some pitches to hit,” Werr said. “I put some good swings on them that luckily fell. I’ve been hitting the ball pretty well, I just think my luck is down. I think that luck will turn around. I don’t feel like I’m struggling.”
Werr said it was nice to produce while making contact.
“That’s obviously what I like to do – help the team out. It was nice to finally have some balls fall in,” said Werr.
Werr is batting .369 with four doubles and 18 RBIs this season.
“He’s made himself an outstanding hitter over the years by his approach,” said Martin.
Martin has very high praise for the heart of his lineup.
“Joe V., Chris Werr and [Scott] Peschiani are awesome, some of the best three-hitters in the country,” said Martin. “I’m blessed with them.”
Venturino is batting .394 with five home runs and 21 RBIs. He is on a five-game hitting streak and has gotten in a hit in every game this year except two.
Peschiani is batting .309 with 10 RBIs and 12 extra base hits.
“I’m seeing pitches pretty well,” said Peschiani, who has more walks on the season (12) than strikeouts (8). “Some of my hits haven’t been coming down the past four or five games, but as long as I keep my eye on the ball, see pitches well, I think I’ll do well. I’ve been having quality, productive at bats that will hopefully translate into hits.”
The Roadrunners will continue their home stand on Thursday when they will take on Montclair State University at 3:30 p.m. in their second New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup of the season.
The Roadrunners are 2-0 in the NJAC after winning back-to-back games against New Jersey City University on Saturday.
rmorik@ramapo.edu
