LIVINGSTON—Ryan Sullivan and fellow junior, Sean Rucker, knew expectations were high for the defending Greater Newark Tournament champions coming into the 2010 baseball season.
With many key assets graduating from the 2009 Livingston squad, players like Sullivan knew that would have to step up and hope to repeat as Great Newark Tournament champions in 2010.
On Friday afternoon at the Livingston Oval, Sullivan baffled the Columbia hitters and led his Lancer squad to a 10-0 win and improving Livingston's record to 7-2.
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"I was eager to pitch today," Sullivan said. "After being rained out the other day against West Orange, we needed to get back on track and today we accomplished the task at hand."
Sullivan was masterful all game. The junior pitcher only allowed two hits through six innings while striking out four.
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"Ryan was great today," said Livingston head coach Scott Schroeder. "He changed speeds and kept Columbia's hitters guessing."
But Sullivan was not the only player to propel Livingston to yet another victory. Like they have all season, Livingston's bats struck early and often as they have for majority of this season.
In the bottom of the first inning, senior Nick Kozlowsky blasted a three run homer to give Livingston an early 3-0 lead.
Livingston's bats were not even close to being done after the striking bomb in the first inning.
Livingston scored two more runs in the second inning off the bat of Brian Drapeau and Mike Mansfield.
Sullivan came out in the top of the third and struck out the side retiring the first nine Cougar batters he faced.
In the bottom of the third, Livingston added another three runs. This time it was senior Jimmy Napolitano with an RBI double. Then St. John's-bound catcher Frank Schwindel plated Napolitano to give Livingston an 8-0 lead after three innings.
That was plenty more than Sullivan needed as he only allowed one hit in the fourth to Columbia hitters Joe Meola and another in the fifth to Henry Ertl.
Livingston outfielder John Beaubien, who will head to Seton Hall in the fall, also had a towering solo home run in the sixth.
"Ryan was phenomenal on the mound today," Kozlowsky said. "We helped him at the plate with our bats and now our focus is on West Orange."
Junior Matt Rehm continues to crush the ball as he was 3-for-4 today and fellow junior Brian Drapeau was 3-for-3 with an RBI.
"When we are at the plate we are seeing and hitting the ball very well right now. If we make an adjustment here and there then I believe we will be a very tough team to beat down the stretch," Schroeder concluded.
