PARSIPPANY, N.J. - The Caldwell College baseball team overcame a 2-1 deficit to defeat Chestnut Hill College, 8-4 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Monday afternoon at Smith Field. The victory gives the Cougars an overall record of 15-10 and a 9-3 mark in the conference, while the Griffins fall to 5-16, 3-5 CACC. Senior Chris Chiarappa (Elmont, NY/Holy Trinity) drove in three runs for Caldwell, which swept the season series over conference-newcomer Chestnut Hill.

After sophomore Ray Keelan (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional) singled home sophomore Adric Saxon (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) in the bottom of the first for a 1-0 lead, D.J. Santoro hit a two-run double in the top of the second to take over the lead, 2-1. The Griffins held the lead until the bottom of the fifth, when Chiarappa answered with a double that plated Keelan and sophomore Omar Velazquez (Astoria, NY/Long Island City) to put Caldwell on top 3-2.

Saxon, Chiarappa and Velazquez (pictured) each drove in runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 6-2. Chestnut Hill began a comeback of their own, as Mike Knipe blasted a two-run homer in the top of the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-4. A pair of singles put runners on first and second with no out. But sophomore reliever Buddy Riggs (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) picked off the runner at second, then retired the next two batters to end the inning. Velazquez added a couple of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run home run, his second of the season.

Freshman Juan Mejia (Ocean City, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) earned his first career win in his first collegiate start, allowing 11 hits and four runs while striking out eight in seven innings. Riggs recorded his third save of the season, pitching two scoreless innings. Nick DeMalto (0-3) gave up three runs on six hits and six walks in four innings to take the loss.

The Cougars return to action on Tuesday, Apr. 8 with a CACC game against Philadelphia University. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. at Smith Field.