PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Junior Billy Ryan (Toms River, NJ/Manchester), left, had three hits, a home run, three runs and four RBIs as the Caldwell College baseball team defeated C.W. Post, 12-3 in a non-conference game Tuesday afternoon at Smith Field. The Cougars, who had 18 hits on the day, improve to 11-14, while the Pioneers drop to 6-22. The win was Caldwell's second over C.W. Post this season.

The Cougars took control of the game early with five runs in the first two innings. Seniors Landon Viessy (Oakland Gardens, NY/Cardozo) and Nick Mauro (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) each had RBI singles in the bottom of the first to put Caldwell ahead 2-0. Then in the bottom of the second, sophomore Joe Hydro (Flemington, NJ/Immaculata) led off the inning with a single and eventually scored on a double by freshman Jorge Torres (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella). Ryan followed with a two-run homer, his second of the season, to make the score 5-0.

The Pioneers' Frank Carrotta doubled home a run in the top of the fourth for C.W. Post's first run of the game. He also had an RBI single in the top of the sixth that followed a run-scoring double from Bryan Lawrence to cut the deficit to 5-3. Ryan answered for Caldwell in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single that scored Murphy. The Cougars blew the game open with six runs on seven hits in the bottom of the seventh inning, all with two outs. Sophomores Rich Gili (Manorville, NY/Shoreham-Wading River) and Tommy Murphy (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville) started the rally with back-to-back singles. Torres scored both runners with a single to make the score 8-3. Ryan picked up his fourth RBI of the day with a single that brought home Torres, who had advanced to second on the previous play. After freshman Aaron Hoffstatter (Glasco, NY/Saugerties) singled, Mauro doubled, scoring Ryan. Sophomore Eric Theiss (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) completed the scoring with a two-run single that made the score 12-3.

Ryan, Murphy and Torres each had three hits in helping the Cougars record a season-high 18 hits. Torres went 3 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs. Senior Anthony DeRogatis (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South), right, earned his first victory of the season, allowing three runs, one earned, and just two hits in 5 2/3 innings.

The Cougars will play a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader at Nyack College on Wednesday, Apr. 12, beginning at 4:00 p.m.