PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Freshman outfielder Raymond Keelan (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional) drove in the game-winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Caldwell College baseball team to an 8-7 victory over Nyack College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Tuesday night at Smith Field. Keelan, who also had a two-run single in Caldwell's six-run eighth inning, helped the Cougars improve to 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the conference, while the Warriors fall to 4-22, 2-3 CACC.
The Warriors opened up a significant lead with six runs in the top of the third on five hits, including three doubles. The big blow came off the bat of Oscar Ortiz, who belted a three-run double. All six runs were scored with two outs. The Cougars got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth inning, when junior Chris Chiarappa (Elmont, NY/Holy Trinity) singled and later scored on an error. But Nyack restored the six-run lead with an unearned run in the top of the eighth.
Trailing 7-1, the Cougars staged a comeback in the bottom of the eighth. Freshman Omar Velazquez (Astoria, NY/Long Island City) led off the inning with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Tommy Murphy (Monroe, NY/Washingtonville). A sacrifice fly from senior Billy Ryan (Toms River, NJ/Manchester) made the score 7-3 before Keelan singled home a pair of runs to pull the Cougars to within two, 7-5. With runners on second and third, a single by freshman Jon Irwin (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) plated Keelan and advanced junior Joe Hydro (Flemington, NJ/Immaculata) to third. During the next at-bat, Hydro came home on a passed ball that tied the game at 7-7.
The Warriors loaded the bases on three consecutive singles with no outs in the top of the ninth. Murphy, who came on in relief in the ninth, struck out Ian Beezub, then caught Craig Kulas' squeeze bunt attempt and doubled the runner at third for an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the ninth, Caldwell put runners on first and second with two out for Keelan, who roped a single into left field that scored freshman Adric Saxon (Coral Springs, FL/Broward CC) to win the game.
Keelan, Chiarappa, Saxon and freshman Doug Hilgenberg (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) each had two hits to pace the Cougar offense. Murphy (2-0) pitched one inning of relief to earn the victory, while Nyack's Billy Gleason struck out 12 batters while allowing nine hits, seven runs (four earned) and one walk in eight innings of work. Beezub pitched the ninth inning and took the loss.
The Cougars play at Dominican College on Wednesday, Apr. 11 in a meeting between the top two teams in the CACC standings. Game time is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in Orangeburg, N.Y.
