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College Baseball:
Raptor of the Week: Greg Galbraith

Monday, March 13, 2006

By Mike Ballard
RutgersCamden Sports Correspondent

RAPTOR OF THE WEEK
Greg Galbraith (Westville, NJ/Gateway Regional)

Junior pitcher Greg Galbraith posted his first career victory in style during the Scarlet Raptors’ spring trip to California. Galbraith tossed a four-hit shutout in a 17-0, seven-inning win at Occidental College in Los Angeles. He retired the first eight batters before allowing a two-out single in the third inning. He also allowed a fifth-inning single and a pair of hits, one of them a double, in the seventh. He struck out three and only walked one batter. It was the first shutout for Rutgers-Camden since Tom Ford blanked Richard Stockton College, 7-0, on April 9, 2004.

BASEBALL (5-5 overall/0-0 NJAC)

March

Mon. 6 at Albright College, ppd. TBA
Tues. 7 Catholic University of America 7, Rutgers-Camden 4

California Trip (All times Pacific)

California Classic:

Fri. 10 Rutgers-Camden 12, Pomona-Pitzer College (CA) 10 (10 innings)
Sat. 11 Linfield College (OR) 6, Rutgers-Camden 5
Sun. 12 Rutgers-Camden 17, Occidental College (CA) 0 (7 innings)
Sun. 12 Whittier College (CA) 7, Rutgers-Camden 6 (11 innings)

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

California Trip (All times Pacific)

Thur. 16 at Chapman University (CA) 2:30 p.m.
Fri. 17 California Invitational vs. Wesleyan University (CT) at Univ. of Redlands 9 a.m.
Fri. 17 California Invitational at University of Redlands (CA) 2 p.m.
Sat. 18 California Invitational at Whittier College (CA) 9 a.m.
Sun. 19 California Invitational at Occidental College (CA) 12 p.m.
Tue. 21 Gwynedd-Mercy College 3 p.m.
Wed. 22 at Delaware Valley College 3 p.m.
Sat. 25 DeSales University 1 p.m.

The Rutgers-Camden baseball team alternated wins and losses during a 2-3 week, opening with a 7-4 defeat at Catholic University of America March 7 and ending in Southern California with a 2-2 record at the California Classic March 10-12. The Scarlet Raptors outlasted host Pomona-Pitzer College, 12-10 in 10 innings, March 10 and lost to Oregon’s Linfield College, 6-5, March 11 in Redlands, California. The Raptors split a pair of games March 12, posing a 17-0 seven-inning win at Occidental College and losing, 7-6 in 11 innings, at Whittier College.

Junior right-hander Greg Galbraith (Westville, NJ/Gateway Regional) hurled a four-hit shutout to power the Scarlet Raptors over Occidental College, 17-0, in a game stopped after seven innings by a 10-run rule.

In posting his first collegiate win, Galbraith (1-0) walked one and struck out three. He retired the first eight batters before allowing a two-out single in the third inning by freshman second baseman Matt Jones. He didn’t allow another hit until a one-out single in the fifth inning. The Tigers didn’t get their final two hits until the seventh inning.

Galbraith’s gem was the first shutout for the Raptors since his teammate Tom Ford (Laurel Springs, NJ/Paul VI) tossed a 7-0 shutout at Richard Stockton College as a sophomore on April 9, 2004.

Offensively, the Scarlet Raptors drilled 14 hits off five Occidental pitchers. They scored the only run Galbraith needed in the first inning when senior shortstop Brian Jakubowski (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) hit a leadoff single and advanced on an error and a passed ball. He scored on a sacrifice fly by senior first baseman Matt Calloway (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional), who extended his program career record to 10 sacrifice flies.

Rutgers-Camden added four runs in the second inning, capped by a two-run double by Jakubowski.

The Scarlet Raptors collected three runs in the third inning, sparked by a two-run home run from senior second baseman Nick Faragasso (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). It was the Raptors’ first home run of the year.

Rutgers-Camden broke the game open with a six-hit, six-run fourth inning, aided by a two-run double from junior center fielder Nate Buchter (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional).

For the game, Faragasso and Jakubowski each went 3-for-5 with two runs scored. Faragasso had three RBIs, while Jakubowski had two. Freshman designated hitter Bobby Petronis (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) went 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI, while junior catcher Tom Terrill (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

Senior left fielder Nick Turekian (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) collected three RBIs, while Buchter had two RBIs and two runs. Freshman right fielder Ian King (Riverside, NJ/Riverside) went 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI in his collegiate debut.

A day earlier, Linfield College used three Rutgers-Camden errors to plate three unearned runs as the Wildcats rallied to a 6-5 victory over the Scarlet Raptors in a non-conference game played at University of Redlands (CA).

Behind the fine pitching of sophomore southpaw Andrew Lihotz (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast), the Scarlet Raptors opened up a 3-1 lead through 5-1/2 innings before they were undermined by their defense. Linfield tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a pair of infield throwing errors and a run-scoring double by senior catcher Jon Frederick.

The Scarlet Raptors regained the lead in the top of the seventh when Jakubowski was hit by a pitch and a pair of juniors, Buchter and designated hitter Butch Amato (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) singled to load the bases. Faragasso poked a two-run single to make it a 5-3 game.

Linfield cut the gap to 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh after senior first baseman Brian Baker hit a two-out single. He advanced on a walk to senior DH John Dailey and scored on a single by sophomore center fielder Kevin Mills. Rutgers-Camden sophomore Steven Sooy (Millville, NJ/Millville) relieved Lihotz and worked out of the jam with a strikeout, but the Wildcats’ rally continued in the eighth inning.

Frederick opened the bottom of the eighth with a single, and the Wildcats put a pair of runners aboard when senior right fielder Jordan Rhoads reached on a sacrifice fielder’s choice which failed to get the runner at second. Sophomore shortstop Ty Stanley loaded the bases with a single, setting the stage for the game-winning play for Linfield. Senior left fielder Jonny Anderson singled home the tying run and Rhoads also scored on an error in left field.

Freshman lefty Damien Wright (Millville, NJ/Millville) relieved Sooy and worked out of the jam, aided by a pair of grounders, which included a play at the plate on Stanley, sandwiched around a strikeout. The Raptors, however, couldn’t push across the tying run in the ninth despite a leadoff single by senior third baseman Tyler Inkster (Audubon, NJ/Audubon). Inkster was stranded at first by Linfield reliever Kyffin Marcum, who worked the final 2-2/3 innings to earn the win. Marcum, 1-1, allowed three hits and struck out four in hurling shutout ball.

Sooy, 1-1, took the loss, working 1/3-inning, allowing three hits, two runs (one earned) and no walks. He struck out one.

For Linfield, Anderson went 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Frederick added two hits.

Faragasso went 3-for-5 with one run and two RBIs for the Raptors. Inkster and Turekian each added two hits in four at bats. Jakubowski went 0-for-4 to snap his season-opening seven-game hitting streak.

In a wild opener to the California trip, Buchter doubled home a pair of runs to highlight a four-run frame in the top of the 10th inning as Rutgers-Camden held off Pomona-Pitzer College, 12-10, in Claremont, CA.

In a game which featured 13 hits by each side, the Sagehens built early leads of 2-0 and 4-2, but the Scarlet Raptors rallied to take an 8-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning. Pomona-Pitzer tied the game with a three-run frame, sparked by a solo home run from freshman first baseman Drew Hedman, his second round-tripper of the day. Freshman center fielder Zachary Mandelblatt tied the game with a two-run single.

The Raptors bounced right back in the top of the 10th as sophomore second baseman Joe Ambrozy (Haddon Township, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) drew a one-out walk. He advanced to third on a single by Turekian, who stole second and advanced to third on a run-scoring single by Jakubowski. Buchter ripped a two-run double to center field and scored the final run on a double by Amato.

The Raptors held on in the bottom of the 10th despite a two-run single by senior left fielder Ben Shanker. Rutgers-Camden sophomore John Gladden (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township), the fifth hurler of the day for the Scarlet Raptors, entered the game in the 10th inning and collected his first career save. He worked one full inning, allowing two hits and one earned run.

Sophomore Steven Sooy (Millville, NJ/Millville) picked up the victory with one inning of relief, allowing three hits and three runs, only two of them earned. It was his first decision of the season and raised his career record to 2-0.

Trailing, 4-2, the Raptors took their first lead of the game with a three-run sixth inning, sparked when senior first baseman Matt Calloway (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) reached on a leadoff error. He advanced on a passed ball and an error on the Sagehens’ pitcher. Amato walked and stole second before senior third baseman Tyler Inkster (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) doubled home the tying runs. Turekian plated Inkster with a two-out single.

For the game, Turekian went 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Jakubowski, Buchter and Amato each added two hits for the Raptors, while Buchter, Amato and Inkster each collected three RBIs. In addition to Turekian, Jakubowski, Buchter, Calloway and Amato each scored two runs.

The week started with a loss at Catholic University of America as the Cardinals jumped to a seven-run lead after three innings and held off Rutgers-Camden, 7-4, in a non-conference game March 7 in Washington, D.C.

Sophomore shortstop Joey Maca paced Catholic’s offense, going 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs from the leadoff spot. Maca’s leadoff single in the first inning, an infield error and an RBI single by senior right fielder Joseph Benedetti gave the Cardinals the lead for good.

Catholic added four runs in the second inning on four hits, including a Maca RBI single and a two-run single by sophomore second baseman Matthew Rosner. Benedetti, who went 2-for-4 with two RBIs on the day, capped the frame with a run-scoring double.

Maca doubled home two runs in the third inning to make it a 7-0 game before the Scarlet Raptors mounted a comeback.

Rutgers-Camden scored a pair of runs in the fourth inning, sparked by a leadoff single from Buchter. Amato drew a one-out walk and both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Faragasso delivered one run with a sacrifice fly and junior left fielder Mike Morris (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) doubled home Amato.

The Raptors added two more runs in the sixth inning, sparked when Amato reached on a two-out error. Faragasso was hit by a pitch and Morris doubled home both runners.

Rutgers-Camden threatened again in the eighth inning, when it loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single with one out. That rally ended with a double play.

Catholic sophomore starter Joseph Voiro worked seven innings, allowing five hits, four runs (three earned) and two walks. He struck out four as he raised his record to 4-0.

Rutgers-Camden senior Ragon Stone (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) took the loss in his first appearance of the season. He worked two innings, allowing six hits, one walk and five earned runs.

Raptor junior Jason Ronca (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) worked four scoreless innings of two-hit ball in relief. He walked two and struck out three.

Morris went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and three RBIs on the day for Rutgers-Camden. The only other Raptor with multiple hits was Buchter, who went 2-for-5 and scored one run.

SOFTBALL (4-0 overall/0-0 NJAC)

March

March 6-12 Did not play

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:
at Sun West Tournament (at Chapman University, Orange, CA) All times Pacific

Mon. 13 vs. Fontbonne University (MO) 10:45 a.m.
Mon 13 vs. College of Mount St. Joseph (OH) 1 p.m.
Tues. 14 vs. Kenyon College (OH) 1 p.m.
Tues. 14 vs. Illinois College 3:30 p.m.
Thur. 16 vs. Illinois College 1 p.m.
Thur. 16 vs. St. Mary’s University (MN) 5:45 p.m.
Fri. 17 vs. Central College (IA) 10:45 a.m.
Fri. 17 vs. St. Mary’s University (MN) 1 p.m.
Sat. 18 vs. Knox College (IL) 10:45 a.m.
Sat. 18 vs. University of St. Thomas (MN) 3:30 p.m.
Tue. 21 John Jay College of Criminal Justice (doubleheader) 3:30 p.m.
Sat. 25 Keystone College (doubleheader) 1 p.m.

The Lady Raptors, ranked No. 9 in the nation, begin play March 13 in Southern California at the Sun West Tournament. The event, held at Chapman University in Orange, CA, will match the Lady Raptors against several of the top teams in the country, including pre-season No. 15 St. Mary’s University (MN) and the top-ranked team and two-time defending national champions, the University of St. Thomas (MN).


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