Glassboro, NJ - Despite a strong offensive showing that produced 12 hits, John Jay could not overcome a pair of late-inning surges as No. 7 Rowan defeated the Bloodhounds, 8-3, on Tuesday afternoon.
John Jay (1-17) jumped out early offensively, recording three hits in the opening frame, but stranded the bases loaded and were unable to capitalize. Rowan (13-2) took advantage in the bottom half, plating an unearned run on an RBI walk by Luke Bickunas to grab a 1-0 lead.
The Profs extended their lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning, capitalizing on a wild pitch sequence before John Jay responded in the fifth. The Bloodhounds strung together timely hitting, beginning with a double down the left field line from
Jayden Dixon that scored
Jaxen Gangwish. Later in the inning,
Sebastian Sanchez delivered an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
Dixon and Sanchez paced the offense for John Jay, each recording multi-hit performances. Dixon finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Sanchez went a team-best 3-for-5 with an RBI. Gangwish also stood out, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a stolen base, consistently setting the table at the top of the lineup.
The game shifted in the sixth inning when Rowan broke through with a three-run rally. Evan McCoach delivered the decisive blow, lacing a bases-clearing double to right field to give the Profs a 5-2 advantage. Rowan continued to apply pressure in the seventh, adding two more runs behind another RBI double from McCoach and a run-scoring double by Jason Schooley to extend the lead to 7-2.
McCoach was the standout performer for Rowan, finishing 2-for-5 with five RBIs, accounting for the majority of the Profs' offense. Schooley added a key RBI, while Bickunas contributed with an RBI and reached base twice.
John Jay threatened again in the ninth inning as Gangwish doubled and Dixon followed with an RBI single, but the rally was cut short, sealing the 8-3 final.
On the mound,
Thiago Telles provided a solid start for the Bloodhounds, allowing just one earned run over 3.1 innings while striking out three.
Craig Zuckerman and
Saujan Christie combined to allow six runs in relief, with Christie (0-2) taking the loss.
For Rowan, Mark Grubb (1-0) earned the win as part of a seven-pitcher effort that limited damage despite John Jay's 12-hit output. Rowan finished with nine hits, capitalizing on key extra-base hits and five walks, while John Jay was hampered by three defensive errors that contributed to scoring opportunities for the Profs.
The Bloodhounds travel to Aston, PA to square off against Penn State Brandywine on Thursday, April 2 with first pitch set for 4:00 p.m.
