By Jen Toland, College Beat Writer
May 1, 2013
Worcester, MA --- Worcester State senior right-hander Cruz Rosado didn't start last Thursday against Fisher College, but he made the best pitch of his life when he proposed to his girlfriend, Melba Morales, before the game on Rockwood Field's third-base line.
She said yes!
"It's always been my dream to get engaged on the baseball field," Rosado said. "I felt ready. She's the love of my life."
Rosado popped the question during Senior Day festivities. His five senior teammates, as well as coach Dirk Baker, were co-conspirators in Rosado's surprise. Rosado was the last of the seniors to be introduced, and, carrying his glove, he jogged onto the field to join his family, Morales, who is also a senior at Worcester State, and her family for a photograph.
He told Morales to hold his glove while the picture was being taken.
She looked inside the glove and there was the box holding the sparkling princess-cut, three-stone, vintage diamond.
"She went into shock mode," Rosado said. "She kept telling me, 'You don't have to do this right now. Why are you doing this right now?' "
Rosado got down on one knee, took Melba's hands and asked her to marry him.
"I gave her my speech," Rosado said, "but I don't think she heard it because everyone was going nuts."
The happy couple hasn't set a date yet.
Rosado, the former Worcester Tech pitcher who lives in Clinton, met Morales, who also lives in Clinton, in 2008, when they were students at Quinsigamond Community College. She was Rosado's English tutor. They became fast friends, began dating a couple months later and have been together since.
In addition to celebrating their engagement, they'll both be celebrating their graduation from WSU on May 18.
Rosado, who played for the Lancers in 2011, missed all of last season after suffering a fractured hip in a car accident. At 25 years old, he knew this spring would probably be his last chance to play in college, so he worked hard to recover and return.
Rosado is 1-3 in eight appearances and has served as a mentor to his younger teammates.
The Lancers (18-20, 8-6) earned the fourth seed in the MASCAC Tournament and will host Bridgewater State at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
"I'm glad I came back," Rosado said. "I'm having a lot of fun with the boys. We feel confident going into the playoffs. We have a good rotation and we all have our rhythm now. Our bats are coming around and that gives us more hope now."