COUGAR BASEBALL

BASEBALL EARNS SWEEP AT N.J.I.T.

4-19-06
CC 7, NJIT 2
CC 12, NJIT 8
NEWARK, N.J. - The Caldwell College baseball team swept a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against N.J.I.T. on Wednesday at Riverfront Stadium. The Cougars, which won 7-2 and 12-8, completed a sweep of the season series with the Highlanders (16-14 overall, 9-9 CACC) to improve to 15-17 on the season, including an 8-7 record in the conference.

Sophomore Tommy Murphy (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) led off the first game with a single and eventually scored the game's first run on a groundout by senior Landon Viessy (Oakland Gardens, NY/Cardozo). The Cougars added another run in the third when freshman Jorge Torres (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella), left, tripled and then came home on an error. A five-run fourth inning gave Caldwell an insurmountable 7-0 lead. Murphy, Torres and junior Billy Ryan (Toms River, NJ/Manchester) each had RBIs, while senior Nick Mauro (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) hit a two-run double in the inning.

Senior pitcher Derek York (Lanoka Harbor, NJ/Lacey Twp.) went 5.0 innings, allowing four hits and two runs to improve to 3-3. Freshman Stephen Pfeil (Hampstead, NH/Pinherton Academy) tossed two innings of scoreless relief to wrap up the win for Caldwell.

The Cougars wasted little time taking control of game two, putting six runs on the board in the top of the first inning. Viessy drove in two runs with a single, Mauro singled home Viessy, then sophomore Chris Chiarappa (Elmont, NY/Holy Trinity), right, hit a three-run home run for a 6-0 lead. It was Chiarappa's team-leading fourth homer of the season. The Highlanders answered with three runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the third to cut the Caldwell advantage to 6-5. In the top of the fifth, Caldwell extended its lead to 9-5 with three unearned runs on Chiarappa's RBI single, Torres' sacrifice fly and an error.

Murphy and Mauro each knocked home runs in the sixth, then Ryan doubled to score Torres, who led off the seventh with a triple, as the Cougars took a 12-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh. The Highlanders would score three runs in their final at bat, but it was not enough as the Cougars topped NJIT for the third time this season.

Senior pitcher Anthony DeRogatis (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) gave up five hits and five runs, two earned, while striking out seven in 4.0 innings of work to get the win and improve to 2-0. Chiarappa went 3 for 3 with four RBIs in the second game, while Mauro finished the day 4 for 8 with four RBIs.

The Cougars will host Adelphi University on Thursday, Apr. 20 for a non-conference game at Smith Field, beginning at 3:30 p.m.

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