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Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham Campus Athletics

Official Website of FDU - Florham Devils Athletics FDU - Florham Devils Athletics
franco16swing
Franco launched his second home run of the season on Wednesday
7
Ramapo RCNJBB 13-0-1
7
FDU-Florham FDUF 5-8-1
Ramapo RCNJBB
13-0-1
7
Final
7
FDU-Florham FDUF
5-8-1
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Ramapo RCNJBB 0 0 0 2 1 1 0 1 2 0 7 14 1
FDU-Florham FDUF 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 3 7 12 0

Game Recap: Baseball | | by: Bryan Jackson

Baseball Rallies from Three-Runs Down in 9th to Tie #4 Ramapo

MADISON, N.J. – Sophomore catcher David Wilbur's two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham baseball team a hard-earned 7-7 tie with No. 4 Ramapo College on Thursday afternoon.

The game was called after the ninth due to darkness, resulting in the nationally-ranked and unbeaten Roadrunners (13-0-1) first blemish to their record this season.

FDU-Florham (5-8-1) rallied from three runs down in the home ninth to come away with the tie in the game, which lasted 3 hours and 34 minutes. A total of 13 pitchers took the mound on the afternoon.

Senior right-hander Justin White got the start for the Devils and worked out of a first-inning jam to keep the Roadrunners off the board.

The Devils' offense responded in the home half of the first with a run on two hits as right fielder Vinny Bonaccorso plated Kevin Sinclair with a sacrifice fly.

Once again, White found himself in a jam in the second inning but managed to escape with the bases loaded by striking out Ramapo shortstop Bobby Shannon and inducing a pop-up from right fielder Rob DeAngelis.

The Devils extended their lead to 3-0 with a run in the second on an RBI-double by Joseph Bonaccorso and another courtesy of a Christopher Franco single in the third.

Ramapo broke through in the top of the fourth against Tyler Keefe when Scott Paulus crushed a long solo home run over the center field fence and then added another with a run-scoring ground out. The fourth-ranked Roadrunners tied the game in the fourth before going ahead 4-3 via a controversial bases-loaded hit batsman.

Franco immediately pulled the Devils even again by launching a lead-off homer to start the home sixth. The blast was the power-hitting first baseman's second of the season.

The game remained tied until the top of the eighth when Ramapo's Austin Unglaub fought off an 0-2 pitch from freshman right-hander Trey Congleton and lined it into center field for the go-ahead run.

After the Devils went quietly in the home eighth, the Roadrunners added to their lead with two tallies in the top of the ninth.  Joe Venturino delivered the key blow for Ramapo with his fourth hit of the day, this one a two-out, two-strike single that snuck through the left side of the infield and netted two runs.

Trailing 7-4 in their last at bat, the Devils remained undeterred.  Kevin Sinclair drew a leadoff walk, then Josh DellaPietro dropped a single into right field before Frankie Tassielli reached with a free pass to load the bases.

Bryan Pieschel plated a run with a productive groundout, which moved runners into scoring position with one out.

Two batters later, the Roadrunners opted to walk Franco, which loaded the bases for Wilbur. The Devils' catcher, who was 0-for-4 at that point in the game, promptly drove a base hit up the middle of the diamond. Wilbur's clutch knock scored Tassielli and DellaPietro and tied the game at seven. 

Ramapo reliever Eli Garcia came on and retired the Devils' pinch-hitter Reynaldo Diaz, which stranded the game-winning run at third base. The umpires ruled that the 10th inning would not be completed due to darkness and the game was ruled a tie.

Franco finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, while Tassielli reached base four times with two hits and two walks.

The Devils return to action tomorrow when they travel to Purchase, N.Y. to take on Manhattanville College at 3:30 p.m.
 
 
 
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