FLEMINGTON, N.J. – Sophomore outfielder Jorge Ynoa (Bayside, NY/Bayside) hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Caldwell College baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Mercyhurst College in a non-conference game Sunday morning at Diamond Nation. The win completes a three-game, season-opening series with the Lakers for the Cougars, who are 2-1.
 
Caldwell built a 4-1 lead through six innings before Mercyhurst (5-7) scored twice in the top of the seventh on a two-run double by Ethan Santora. Then in the top of the ninth, Craig Denman singled home Jonathan Keppler from second to tie the game at 4-4. The Cougars went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, forcing extra innings.

With two outs in the bottom of the 10th, senior infielder Andrew Robertson (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) hit an infield single and stole second base. Ynoa followed with a rope to centerfield, scoring Robertson with the game-winning run.

Ynoa, who was 3-for-5 with two runs batted in and two runs scored, got things started for Caldwell with a single that plated Robertson in the bottom of the first. He later scored on an error for a 2-0 lead. After the Lakers pushed a run across in the top of the third, the Cougars scored twice in the fifth for a 4-1 advantage. Sophomore outfielder Joe Doerrer (Middletown, NJ/Raritan) led off with a double and came home on a Ynoa single and an error. Ynoa came home on a single by senior outfielder Ray Keelan (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat).

Sophomore right-hander A.J. Boardman (Sunnyside, NY/St. Francis Prep) started for Caldwell and struck out eight batters in six innings while allowing a run on six hits and three walks. Keelan picked up the win after retiring the final out of the top of the 10th. Keelan, Robertson and senior catcher Miguel Perdomo (Teaneck, NJ/Bergen Catholic) had two hits apiece, while Denman and Adam Gray tallied three hits each for the Lakers. Mercyhurst's Joe Cochran took the loss despite giving up just two hits in 4 2/3 innings in relief of starter Ben Rawding.

Caldwell returns to action on Saturday, Mar. 13, when the Cougars begin their Florida trip with a regional game against No. 15 Franklin Pierce University.