The Philadelphia University baseball team split a twinbill today at the University of the Sciences in games played at Ashburn Field in South Philadelphia.  The Rams dropped the opener 6-4 but rebounded for a 7-0 win in the nightcap behind a two-hit, seven-inning complete game shutout performance from freshman righthander Jared Farbman (Philadelphia, Pa./Central; pictured). 

Philadelphia's lead-off man, center fielder Dan Ellmer (Trenton, N.J./Nottingham) totaled a 5-for-9 day at the plate; with one run scored, one stolen base and one RBI in the two seven-inning games.

In the opening game of the afternoon, the Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead through three and a half innings after manufacturing one run in the second and two more in the top of the third.  However, the homestanding Devils put a six-spot on the board in the bottom of the fourth and that big inning was enough to secure the victory.  The Rams' final run came in the top of the seventh and final inning when Ellmer led off with a triple and was driven home on a RBI groundout by senior shortstop Zach Mentzer (Gettysburg, Pa./Delone Catholic).

A determined Rams' nine again took early command in game two, staking a 5-0 lead with two runs in the top of the second and three more in the third.  The five runs were scored on five Philadelphia University hits, while the team also took advantage of three USP errors in the two frames.

From there, it was all Farbman, who raised his season and career record to 2-0 with the win.  Farbman also leads the Rams' staff with 19.2 innings pitched and 14 K's in the early going of the 2008 campaign.  The rookie hurler had a no-hitter going through through three and one-third innings today.  He finished the contest with five strikeouts, retiring 21 of 25 batters faced, scattering just the two USP hits and two bases on balls.  Farbman's first collegiate win came in the Rams' only other victory of the season, last Thursday at the University of West Georgia in Carrollton, Ga.

In addition to Ellmer, starring at the plate for the Rams in their win today were junior right fielder Devin Conroy (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), senior third baseman Jason Hartley (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy), senior left fielder JungMin Lee (Seoul, Korea/Sunrin), freshman catcher Matt Minakowski (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) and junior designated hitter Kyle Noonan (Morristown, N.J./Morristown).  Conroy was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI; Hartley was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base; Lee went 2-for-4 with an RBI; Minakowski was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI and two stolen bases; and Noonan was 1-for-3 with two runs scored, a walk and an RBI that came on his triple that was a big part of the Rams three-run third inning.

The win in today's second game raises the Rams' overall mark to 2-12 for the season.  Their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) record is now 1-1 after the doubleheader split at USP that opened league play this afternoon.  A rubber match at home versus the Devils is slated for Wednesday, April 16 at 3:30 p.m.

Up next for Head Coach Mark Heineman's club is a non-conference doubleheader at home on Alumni Field vs. Millersville University this Sunday, March 30.  Scheduled start time for the games against the visiting Marauders is 12:00 noon EDT.