Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
Ewing, NJ…Ranked 11th in Division III, The College of New Jersey’s baseball team tallied a pair of wins over No. 25 ranked Ramapo College on Saturday in George Ackerman Park. With the win, TCNJ now stands at 22-8 overall and 10-4 in the NJAC, while Ramapo drops to 26-8 overall and is also now 10-4 in the conference.
TCNJ took the first game 14-3 and survived a Roadrunner rally to triumph, 7-5 in the nightcap.
TCNJ’s senior Gerard Haran (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) connected for eight RBI’s in the doubleheader sweep to add to his active career mark for RBI’s that now stands at 197, while also adding a three run homerun in the night cap to add to his career mark for homers that now stands at 44.
GAME #1 TCNJ 14-3 Ramapo
TCNJ made the most of Ramapo’s rocky start to the game and tacked on seven runs in the first two innings and lead 11-1 after just three innings of play. By game’s end, the Lions had 14 runs off 15 hits with only one extra-base hit, a double by senior first baseman Blake Bullis (Delran, NJ/Delran). Bullis, who holds TCNJ’s career doubles mark now has 50 doubles, including six this season. Bullis finished the game with a 2-3 effort at the plate with two RBI’s and a pair of stolen bases.
Senior outfielder PJ Anzelone (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township) added a 3-4 effort in the first game with four runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. Haran was 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBI’s in the contest.
Ramapo’s sophomore Skyler Conte (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) was 2-3 with two runs scored and a triple in the third inning, the first hit allowed by TCNJ’s starter, Bob Buskett (Trenton, NJ/Notre Dame). Junior Jairo Jimenez (Bronx, NY/Dewitt Clinton) was 2-4 with a run scored for the Roadrunners in the contest.
Buskett collected the win after 5.2 innings of work and now stands at 4-1. He gave up three earned runs off seven hits, while striking out two batters and walking four others. Sophomore Eric Gertie (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) worked 2.1 innings of relief for the Lions and fanned two, while allowing only three hits. Sophomore Dan Anderson (Lincroft, NJ/Middletown South) closed the game for the Lions and worked an inning with a walk and a hit allowed.
Ramapo’s right handed sophomore Joe Abruzzo (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) took the loss to drop to 4-2 after 1.1 innings of work with seven earned runs off just three hits with four walks, three strikeouts and three hit batters.
Sophomore Dan Mulligan (Wilmington, DE/Concord) replaced Abruzzo and gave up four earned runs off eight hits with two walks and strikeout and three wild pitches.
GAME #2 TCNJ 7-5 Ramapo
TCNJ led 7-0 after four innings before Ramapo mounted a rally. The Road runners scored a pair in the top of the fifth and three more runs to pull with in two in the top of the sixth, but despite several chances, failed to tie the game in the final three innings of play.
Junior pitcher Mike Oliver (Crosswicks, NJ/Hamilton West) worked five innings in collecting the win and is now 4-0. He fanned six with just two earned runs off three hits while on the mound for the Lions. Junior Matt Barrett (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) worked 1/3 of an with three earned runs off two hits before senior Dave Waseleski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) replaced him and gave up only three hits with a strikeout in 1.2 innings of work. Senior closer, Bill Opel (Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) worked two scoreless innings for the Lions with a pair of strikeouts in collecting the save, his third of the year.
Offensively, Haran started the Lions’ charge with his three run homerun to left center field in the first inning and was 2-3 for the game with four RBI’s by game’s end. Junior short stop Jeff Toth (Parlin, NJ/ Sayreville War Memorial) added a double and was 3-3 with a run scored and two RBI’s, while senior Matt Zonies (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) was 2-4 with a run scored.
Ramapo’s sophomore Gino Gallagher (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) tacked on three of the Roadrunners’ runs and was 1-4 after collecting a two single RBI to centerfield in the sixth inning that pulled his team within two runs. Senior Steve Santorella (Redding Ridge, CT/Joel Barlow) was also 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and added a double in the game.
On the mound for Ramapo, junior Chris Stanisce (Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) took the loss and is now 4-1 after allowing five earned runs off four hits in 2.2 innings of work with a strikeout. Rookie Joey Cacchiola (Union, NJ/Union) worked 5.1 innings on relief and gave up only two earned runs off six hits with a pair of strikeouts.
