Flemington, NJ: The Ramapo College baseball team defeated the Cyclones of Centenary College, 8-7 on the road. The Roadrunners improve to 20-17 while the Cyclones even their record at 20-20.
Sophomore Anthony DeSomma (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) finished 2-for-4 with two runs, a home run and two RBI. Sophomore Chris Smith (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills Regional) finished 2-for-4 with two runs and senior Andrew Granozio (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool) batted 2-for-4 with one run. Sophomore Jordan Wright (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) hit 2-for-5 with a run and a stolen base and junior Jose Cordova (Brentwood, N.Y./Brentwood) knocked in two runs while going 1-for-3. Freshman Chris Zaneski (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley) got the start, pitching five strong innings while giving up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts.
CC jumped out to a quick lead, scoring five runs in the bottom of the first. DeSomma hit a two-run home run and Cordova knocked in two with a single in the frame. Ramapo scratched out a run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the lead to 5-2, but Centenary got both those runs back in the bottom of the fifth when senior Sal Prestigiacomo (Staten Island, N.Y./Curtis) walked with the bases loaded and freshman Steven Taggart (Dayton, N.J./South Brunswick) sent Smith home on a fielder’s choice.
Trailing 7-2, Ramapo put a big inning together in the eighth, scoring four runs. Then, in the top of the ninth, the Roadrunners scored on a wild pitch to tie the contest and then took the lead when
Michael McGuckin (Bayonne, NJ) tripled and came home on a
Mark Ruggiero (Fairfield, NJ) RBI-single. Centenary was unable to get on base in the bottom of the ninth, and RC came away with the one-run victory.
Senior Tim Hannes (4-4) picked up the win, as he worked 3.2 shutout innings with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Cyclones return to action with the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Tournament starting on Wednesday, May 12, with a road game at top-seed Keystone at 2:00 p.m.