The Ramapo baseball team participated in the RussMatt Invitational in Auburndale, Florida over spring break, where they enjoyed a 5-4 record. They followed this performance with two convincing non-conference victories over Manhattanville College and Vermont State University Castleton (VSUC) on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The Roadrunners now sit at 10-7 on the season and have yet to play an in-conference game.
On Tuesday, the Roadrunners traveled to Purchase, New York to face the Valiants and escaped with a 9-1 win. In the top of the first inning, a bases-loaded hit by pitch scored Zach Novakowski to put Ramapo on the board first.
In the bottom of the second, the Valiants tied the game thanks to an error by Novakowski. In the top of the third, however, the Roadrunners bounced back by adding two runs courtesy of a two-run double by Will Egner.
In the top of the fifth inning, Ramapo began to pull away, adding three runs from a Jack Tallent RBI double and a two-run single from Egner. The Roadrunners were able to add another three runs in the top of the sixth inning when Tyler Guadagno scored on an error, and Egner recorded yet another two-run single.
For the day, Egner led the team with three hits and six RBI, while shortstop Zack Bailey led the team with three runs. On the mound, Dominick Ciani recorded the win, lasting three innings, giving up one unearned run and tallying three strikeouts. Out of the pen, Will Kennedy, Matt Ivanicki, Billy Scanlon and Gerard Chiricolo combined to throw seven shutout innings.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Roadrunners returned home for the first time since before spring break, where they won convincingly over the VSUC Spartans, 16-6.
The Spartans were able to strike first, scoring two runs in both the first and second innings off starter James Garthaffner. However, Garthaffner was able to settle down after that, holding VSUC scoreless in the third and fourth innings.
The Roadrunners were able to score in each of three innings, including four runs in the bottom of the first that was powered by a two-run double from Egner. In the bottom of the second inning, Novakowski recorded a sacrifice fly, and in the bottom of the third, Tallent recorded an RBI groundout.
The score remained 6-4 in favor of Ramapo until the top of the sixth inning, when Tyler McLain recorded an RBI single to cut Ramapo’s lead to one. In the bottom of the sixth, the Roadrunners responded with three runs, pushing their lead to four.
Weather conditions began to heavily affect the game starting in the eighth inning, as torrential rain made both Ramapo and VSUC pitchers lose control. The Spartans took advantage of the loss of control by pulling off a double steal, scoring one. In the bottom of the eighth, the Roadrunners recorded five walks, four hits and seven runs to cement the victory.
Following Garthaffner on the mound, Ryan Lasko came in and recorded three innings, allowing one run and tallying three strikeouts. Lasko was also credited with the win.
The next time the Roadrunners take to the field, they’ll face their first New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent of the year, when they take on Montclair State University on Saturday, March 30 at home in a doubleheader.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics
