Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
CALDWELL, N.J. – The Caldwell College baseball team opened Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play with two losses to the University of the Sciences, 7-2 and 14-4 Saturday afternoon at the Kiwanis Oval. The results give the Cougars a 1-14 record overall and 0-2 in the conference, while the Devils improve to 7-7, 2-2 CACC.

In the first game, Caldwell took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a double by junior Paul Nyitray (Cranford, NJ/St. Joseph) that plated freshman Mike La Torraca (West Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell). Sophomore pitcher Robert Humes (Berlin, NJ/Winslow Twp.) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but the Devils loaded the bases on an error, a hit-batsman and a single. After Connor Lennox hit a one-run single, Humes struck out the next batter for the second out. But a single by Kyle O'Brien, a triple from Ronnie Petito and an error allowed USciences to take a 6-1 lead.

Pablo Matos held the Cougars to one run on nine hits while striking out five in eight innings. Humes allowed seven unearned runs on four hits in seven innings. Nyitray, senior Adolfo Lopez (Ontario, CA/Ontario) and juniors Stephen Luczaj (N. Merrick, NY/Mepham) and Phil Ragusa (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) had two hits apiece.

The Cougars took an early lead in Game 2, scoring an unearned run in the bottom of the first and two runs in the fourth for a 3-0 advantage. Ragusa hit a run-scoring single and later scored on an error in the fourth. But again the Devils struck in the sixth, scoring eight runs on four hits and an error. Mike Gartland hit a three-run double in the inning. USciences pushed six more runs across in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Caldwell is scheduled to host Mercy College on Monday, Mar. 25 in a non-conference game. The first pitch is set for 3:00 p.m. at the Kiwanis Oval.