LYNDHURST, N.J. - Sophomore Jorge Ynoa (Bayside, NY/Bayside) drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth inning to give the Caldwell College baseball team a 5-4 victory over Felician College in an important Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Thursday afternoon at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. The win moves the Cougars (14-15 overall, 10-4 CACC) into second place in the conference standings, a half-game ahead of Felician, who fall to 22-19, 10-5 CACC, and Dominican College.
With the game tied at 4-4 heading into the ninth inning, senior Juan Pinero (Bronx, NY/Christopher Columbus) drew a two-out walk and stole second. Ynoa stepped up and hit a line drive to left center, scoring Pinero for a 5-4 lead. The game was halted with one out in the bottom of the ninth due to lightning in the area. After a 20-minute delay, the Golden Falcons put runners on first and second. But sophomore pitcher Matt Cook (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan), who entered the game in the eighth, struck out the final two batters to close out the win. The victory came in the Cougars' first game in nine days.
Caldwell broke open a scoreless game in the top of the sixth with four runs. Pinero tripled home senior Ray Keelan (Barnegat, NJ/Southern Regional), then scored on a single by Ynoa. Senior Miguel Perdomo (Teaneck, NJ/Bergen Catholic) also had a two-run double in the inning to give the Cougars a commanding 4-0 lead. Meanwhile senior pitcher Buddy Riggs (Coral Springs, FL/Taravella) was pitching another gem, holding Felician hitless through 6 1/3 innings. Alex Del Valle ended Riggs' bid for a no-hitter with a double in the seventh. He later scored on a single by Chris Fogleman for the Golden Falcons' first run.
Riggs came out of the game in the eighth after surrendering an RBI single to Marcos Torres that made the score 4-2 Caldwell. Cook came on in relief and gave up a double and a single that allowed Felician to tie the game at 4-4, setting up Ynoa's heroics. Ynoa, Pinero and Perdomo each had a pair of hits, with Ynoa and Perdomo driving in two runs apiece. The Cougars stole six bases on the Golden Falcons, with Ynoa and Pinero stealing two bags each.
Riggs, who entered the week leading the nation with an earned run average of 0.64, gave up three runs on three hits while striking out four and walking two in 7 2/3 innings. Cook (1-3) earned the win after allowing a run and three hits while fanning three in 1 1/3 innings of relief. Vince Siedler was one of seven pitchers to take the mound for Felician and absorbed the loss.
Caldwell and Felician face-off again on Friday, Apr. 23 at the Lyndhurst Recreation Complex. Game time is set for 12:00 p.m. in Lyndhurst, N.J.
