CALDWELL, N.J.- The Caldwell University baseball team split a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference doubleheader against Thomas Jefferson University. The Cougars took the opener 4-1 but the Rams battled back to take the nightcap 9-4.
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The Cougars move to 10-14 overall and 8-12 in the CACC, while the Rams stand at 19-10 and 16-7 in conference play.
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In the opener, graduate
Tom Disch (Branchburg, N.J.) tossed a three-hitter over six innings, allowing one run with five strikeouts to even his record at 2-2. Graduate
Michael Hess (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn his second save.
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Junior
Frank Lehmann (Colonia, N.J.) singled in the first run of the game in second inning. Jefferson answered in the top of the third as they tied the game with a run.
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The Cougars pushed ahead in their half of the inning as graduate
Dhillon Barbetti (West Long Branch, N.J.) doubled in the go-ahead run for a 2-1 lead. Senior
Tavis Brunson (Westfield, N.J.) tacked on a pair of insurance runs with a two-run homerun in the inning.
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In the nightcap, the Rams jumped out to an early lead with three runs in the opening inning. Caldwell rallied back with a pair of runs in their half of the inning. Sophomore
Elias Negron (Virginia Beach, Va.) singled to start the inning, while junior
Jalen March (Baltimore, Md.) was hit by a pitch. Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and graduate
Luis Rullan (Bloomfield, N.J.) drove in two runs with a single.
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Jefferson added to their lead with a run in the second and two in the third to push ahead 6-2.
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The Cougars rallied in the fifth as Rullan led off the inning with a single. Brunson followed with a double to put runners at second and third. Junior
Kyle Richards (Sayreville, N.J.) singled home Rullan and Brunson to cut the score to 6-4.
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The Rams tacked on three runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 9-4.
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The Cougars host Bloomfield College for a CACC doubleheader on Sunday, May 2 at noon at the Kiwanis Oval. Bloomfield will serve as the home team for both games.
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