Box Score
Camden, NJ--The No. 11 ranked Lions of The College of New Jersey tallied an 8-1 win over Rutgers University-Camden on Friday afternoon to record the team's 20th win of the season. Now 20-8 overall, the Lions have now won 20 or more games under current head coach Rick Dell 23 different times, including 10 straight years in a row.
Now in his 26th season with the Lions, Dell is approaching his 700 career win as he now has 694 wins under his belt with the baseball team at TCNJ.
Senior right-hander Blake Ortiz (Swedesboro, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) hurled eight innings of five-hit ball to lead the Lions to the win. The Lions improved to 20-8 overall and 8-4 in the NJAC with their sixth win in seven games. The Scarlet Raptors fell to 12-18 overall and 1-10 in the NJAC with their fifth straight loss.
Ortiz and Rutgers-Camden senior righty Jason Ronca (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) were locked in a scoreless pitchers’ duel until the Lions plated an unearned run in the top of the fourth. Senior center fielder P.J. Anzelone (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township) led off with a double to left. One out later, he advanced on an errant pickoff throw, then scored on an infield ground out by sophomore shortstop Jeff Toth (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville).
The Lions added three runs in the fifth on three hits, sparked by a leadoff walk to senior catcher Gerard Haran (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge). Haran scored on a double to left by senior second baseman Andrew Cosgrove (Lebanon, NJ/North Hunterdon), the first of three consecutive run-scoring hits. Senior third baseman Matt Zonies (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) added an RBI double to right. Senior right fielder Tyler Hall (Stockton, NJ/Immaculata) scored Zonies with a single to left.
Rutgers-Camden scored its lone run of the day in the fifth inning following a one-out single by junior right fielder Joe Midili (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township). Midili stole second and advanced to third on a single by sophomore second baseman Dean Straga (Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Regional). Midili scored when Ortiz had an errant pickoff throw on Straga. Although the Raptors added a single by freshman second baseman Dennis O’Hanlan (Riverside, NJ/Riverside), their threat ended with a double play ball, one of three twin-killings turned in by the Lions behind Ortiz.
TCNJ broke the game open with a three-run sixth inning on three hits, a walk and an error. The big hit was a two-run single to right by senior left fielder Jeff Botti (Avenel, NJ/Colonia).
Toth added an RBI single in the ninth.
Ortiz allowed five hits, four walks and one earned run in eight innings. He struck out four in raising his record to 4-1. Sophomore Eric Gertie (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) finished off the game with a perfect ninth inning.
TCNJ received two hits apiece by Cosgrove and Zonies, while O’Hanlan had a pair of hits for Rutgers-Camden.
Ronca, 3-3, worked 7.1 innings before leaving the game after being struck by a line drive off the bat of Haran. He allowed eight hits, seven runs (five earned) and three walks. He struck out five, including the side in order in the first inning.
Both teams return to action Saturday when they host NJAC doubleheaders at noon. TCNJ faces Ramapo College, while Rutgers-Camden plays New Jersey City University. The two teams will meet again on Sunday in Ewing as TCNJ entertains Rutgers-Camden in a 1 p.m. makeup game that had been rained out on both April 12 and April 16.
