MAHWAH, N.J. – In a tightly scored game that did not kick off until well into the bottom half, the Wesleyan baseball team was defeated in non-conference action by Ramapo College of New Jersey in a one-run, 4-3 contest on Wednesday evening from the Jeff Maud Memorial Field.
It was a low scoring affair for both the Cardinals (7-14 overall) and the Road Runners (18-7 overall), the game picking up little speed until the fifth inning when the Road Runners were able to tie the game at one. Following Zach Barbash's game-tying score, the lineups went run for run until the Road Runners took their lead.
Jake Acker '27 was the first to home plate in the opening inning, giving the Cardinals the opening lead. Acker got the jump on the Road Runners, doubling out to right field before he was pushed to third by
Jonah Timmons '27. Acker marched home on a passed ball. Following Acker's score, Michael Zalinkanskas walked three Cardinals in a row,
Jack Carpenter '25,
Evan Diaz '25, and
Luke LaSaracina '25. The Cardinals were unable to capitalize, leaving all three on base as
Marcus Jang '25 struck out.
Ernie Little '26, the Cardinals' leading scorer with 27 runs on the season, nearly gave the Cardinals a two-run lead in the second inning. Little was walked by Zalinkanskas and stole second but was unable to hit home. Facing the top of the fifth, Little stood at third, singling to left field prior to stealing second base for a second time but again was left as the Cardinals earned their third out.
The Road Runners tallied their first runs of the game and took the lead in the bottom half of the inning, Barbash singling to Jang in left field to reach first base before advancing to third on a passed ball. Dominick Ciani's single down the middle left room for Barbash to score. Leading into Barbash's run,
Shamus Kelly '28struck out six Road Runners from the mound. A double from Zach Novakowski placed Ciani at home, the Road Runners now leading by one.
Finally rewarded for his efforts with a game-tying run, Little scored in the sixth to keep the Cardinals in contention. Reaching on a throwing error, Little advanced to second and stole third. Waiting through Acker's next at bat, Little scored with Timmons nailing a ball to left field.
Giving the Cardinals their second lead of the game, Diaz stole second base after reaching initially on a right side single. LaSarcina's single took the same route and was able to progress to third, scoring as
James Marsden '26 grounded out.
With Marsden now on the mound, the Road Runners scored their third of the game with Zack Bailey earning the tally. John Higgins bat a sacrificed fly to center field, making plenty of room for Bailey to tag home. Scoring the fourth and final run of the game in the eighth, the Road Runners saw Rob Klawans single down the middle, stealing third during the third at bat. Bailey gets the RBI, putting Klawans home on a ball to right field.
Marsden takes the loss for the Cardinals, allowing one run and two walks as he struck out two. Kelly pitched the opening six innings, marking six strike outs and two earned runs.
The Cardinals return home on Thursday, April 10, when they host Emerson at Dresser Diamond beginning at 4 p.m.
