Flemington, NJ – Stockton University (2-0) began the 2019 season in impressive fashion, sweeping a doubleheader from Centenary (1-3) at the Diamond Nation complex to give new coach Dave Lorber his first two victories as a college head coach. The Ospreys routed the Cyclones 22-4 in the first game and completed the sweep 8-4. They hit four home runs on the afternoon.
 
Joe Pipher (Brick/Brick Memorial) slammed a home run in each game and finished the day 5-6 with seven RBI in the twinbill. Pipher went 3-3 with a homer and three RBI in the first game. Freshman Brendan Doherty (Middletown/Middletown South) blasted a solo home run in his first college at-bat and totaled three hits in the contest.
 
Stockton exploded for 10 runs in the top of the first. Doherty ignited the onslaught with a his homer and added an RBI single later in the inning. Mike DeSenzo (Pompton Plains/Pequannock) ripped a three-run triple and freshman Alex Klalo (Toms River/TR North) contributed a two-run single during the huge inning.
 
The Ospreys tacked on five more runs in the second frame, capped by a two-run single from JJ Swentkowski (Egg Harbor Twp./EHT) that made it 15-0. Pipher slugged a two-run homer in the third frame, Stockton scored three times in the fifth, and Garrhet Reedy (Tinton Falls/Monmouth) knocked a two-run single in the sixth for a 22-0 count.
 
Starting pitcher Ray Hughes (Forked River/Lacey Twp.) cruised to victory, tossing six scoreless innings in which he allowed just one hit and struck out seven. A Centenary grand slam by Anthony Ranaudo in the bottom of the seventh spoiled the shutout and made the final score 22-4.
 
Pipher went 2-3 with a double, home run and four RBI in the nightcap. Junior college transfer Andrew Slinger (Tinton Falls/Monmouth) was 2-3 with a double, home run and two RBI while DeSenzo scored twice and stole two bases in the victory.
 
Slinger hit a two-run homer in the second inning to start a string of four straight stanza in which the Ospreys scored. Pipher doubled home DeSenzo in the third frame and Reedy scored on a wild pitch in the fourth. Garrett DeMarrais (Oradell/River Dell) scored on an error following a Doherty single in the fifth inning to give Stockton a seemingly comfortable 5-0 lead.
 
Centenary struck back with four runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 5-4. After a scoreless sixth inning, Pipher provided the clinching blow with a three-run homer in the seventh to give Stockton some breathing room at 8-4. Centenary loaded the bases and had the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh before a ground out completed the sweep for the Ospreys.
 
Junior James Manos (Freehold/Freehold Boro) earned his first career win, allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Rico Viani (Monroe Twp./Monroe Twp.) later tossed two scoreless innings for a save.
 
Stockton will have a week off before hosting a doubleheader against CCNY next Saturday, March 2 at noon.