Game box score

Tempe, AZ ... The College of New Jersey baseball team dropped an 8-5 decision to Rochester Institute of Technology in their season opener in Tempe, Arizona.

The Lions (0-1) erased a 4-1 deficit with three runs in the third inning, but the Tigers (2-3) tacked on single runs in the third, fourth, sixth, and seventh innings to pull away with the win.

Sophomore Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) led TCNJ's offense stroking a pair of hits including an RBI double and run scored. Freshman Mike Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) collected his first collegiate hits going 2-for-4 with a run scored while junior transfer Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) added a hit, a pair of walks, and two runs scored.

The Lions took an early 1-0 lead manufacturing a run in the top of the first inning. Zegarski led off with a walk and advanced to second when freshman Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor North) grounded out to second. Zegarski moved up to third on a balk and scored when senior Chris Esperon (Union, NJ/Union Catholic) hit a sacrifice fly.

R.I.T. pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first to take command of the game. The Tigers rapped out eight hits to earn their second victory in as many days.

Freshman Matt Rawson (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) threw four solid innings out of the bullpen for TCNJ giving up just a pair of earned runs.

The Lions will send freshman Rob Schneider (Township of Washing, NJ/Westwood Regional) tomorrow for his first college start as they look for their first win against Saint John's University of Minnesota. The game is set for an 11 a.m. (MST) start.