Jim Waterman did not allow a run in five innings of work against Rowan on Thursday.

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. (March 15, 2007) – 27^th-ranked Rowan University scored four unearned runs with two outs in the top of the ninth inning as the Profs claimed a 6-2 victory over the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team on Thursday in Port Charlotte, Fla.  The Ducks, who have lost five straight games, fell to 2-7 on the season while Rowan improved to 4-5 overall.

Stevens jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as senior Adam Sandt ( Allentown, Pa. ) reached base on a bunt single with two outs.  Sophomore Joe Gunshor ( Ridgefield, Conn. ) followed with an RBI double to right-center to plate the first run of the game.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Gunshor singled with one out.  Following a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Dan Silva (Boonton Township, N.J.), junior John Frustaci (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) singled home Gunshor to put the Ducks on top 2-0.

Junior Chris Burgess ( Palisades Park, N.J. ) ran into trouble in his second inning out of the bullpen as the Profs mounted a rally in the seventh.  Junior Bruce Reibis ( Jackson, N.J. ) singled to get things started.  Junior Paul Urbanovich ( Rutherford, N.J. ) followed with a pinch-hit, two-run home run on the first pitch he saw from Burgess.

Tied at 2-2 in the top of the ninth, Stevens turned to junior Scott Picerno ( Bayonne, N.J. ).  With one out, senior Shawn Counard ( Mount Laurel, N.J. ) singled to right.  Freshman Roland Rodriguez ( Miami, Fla. ) reached base on a fielder's choice, but Counard was retired at second base for the second out of the inning.  After Rodriguez stole second, junior Joe Franceschini ( Toms River , N.J.) drew a walk to put runners at first and second with two outs.

Rowan took the lead for good as junior Roger Turley ( Succasunna, N.J. ) smacked a hard hit ball by Frustaci at first and down the right-field line.  Frustaci's error allowed two runs to score.  The Profs went on to add two more runs later in the frame as they built a 6-2 lead.

In the bottom half of the ninth, Silva led off with a single.  Frustaci followed with a double to right-center as the Ducks put a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs.  At that point, sophomore Kevin O'Hara (Clayton, N.J.) came out of the bullpen to take over for junior Joe Cichy ( Vineland, N.J. ).

After senior Andrew Tesoriero (Dunedin, Fla.) popped out to O'Hara for the first out, Silva made the second out of the inning trying to score from third on a weakly-hit grounder in front of the plate by junior David Katusa (Franklin Township, N.J.).  O'Hara made a nice play on the ball and tagged out Silva before he crossed home.  Sophomore Alex Sota ( Lancaster, Pa. ) struck out to end the game.

Sandt went 3-for-4 and scored one run for the Ducks.  Freshman Russ Grimes ( South Brunswick, N.J. ), Frustaci and Gunshor had two hits apiece.  Senior Jim Waterman ( Mullica Hill, N.J. ) went five strong innings as the starting pitcher for Stevens.  Waterman allowed three hits and no runs while striking out four batters.

Sophomore Tom Ready ( Blenheim, N.J. ) had two hits for the Profs.  Cichy improved to 3-0 on the year as he gave up 12 hits and two runs over eight innings.  He had seven strikeouts in the game.  O'Hara earned the save by recording the final three outs.

Stevens will close out its spring trip to Florida on Friday with a game against Defiance College at 9 a.m.  The Ducks return home to face Rochester Institute of Technology in a doubleheader on Sunday starting at noon.