Mahwah, NJ – Ramapo's Jordan Descafano (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) lined a one-out double to left field to score what turned out to be the game-winning run as Ramapo College topped Montclair State, 6-5 in a New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup at Jeff Maund Field on Friday afternoon.
The win upped the Roadrunners' mark to 15-4 overall this season, 2-0 in the NJAC while Montclair State fell back to the .500 mark at 8-8 overall, 1-1 in the conference.
Ramapo, which trailed 3-0 early in the game chipped away at the MSU lead tying the game in the sixth as Jairo Jimenez ( Bronx, NY/Dewitt Clinton) walked and John Callandrello (Montville, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) was hit by a pitch. Both runners advanced on a ground out and pinch-runner McGuckin scored as Skyler Conte (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) collected an infield single, knotting the game at 5-5.
In the bottom of the eighth, Ramapo got the first runner on as Dave Deredita ( Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) reached on an error to open the inning. After a strikeout, Descafano doubled to score the go-ahead run.
Montclair State threatened in the top of the ninth as
ED KLOEPPING (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) was hit by a pitch with two outs. Rob Clark (Livingston, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) then singled to centerfield putting the tying run at second however Joey Cacchiola (Union, NJ/Union) got the next hitter to fly out to end the game. Cacchiola (3-0) picked up the win as he allowed just one hit and struck out four over the final three innings. Junior lefthander
ENRIQUE GOMEZ ( Edison, NJ/ St. Joseph's) suffered the loss in relief falling to 2-1.
Montclair State took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as
ANDREW VICARO ( Randolph, NJ/Randolph) doubled home a run and the lead grew to three runs in the second.
MARC PALESTINA ( Paramus, NJ/ Paramus) was hit by a pitch, moved to third on an error and scored on a passed ball.
ANDREW HIMMELFARB ( Nyack, NY/Nyack) then singled to right field for the second run.
Ramapo would get within 3-2 scoring single runs in the second and third innings, but Montclair responded with a run back in the fourth as
MATT HARTWICK ( Ringwood, NJ/ Lakeland) crossed the plate on a passed ball. After another Ramapo run in the bottom of the fourth made it 4-3,
KEVIN CUOZZI ( Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy) added sacrifice fly in the fifth for the final Red Hawk run.
Himmelfarb finished 2-for-3 for the Red Hawks.
The Red Hawks return to action on Saturday, March 31 as they travel to Glassboro, NJ to face Rowan University in an NJAC doubleheader beginning at Noon.
