Game 1: Box score

Game 2: Box score

Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team swept New Jersey City University as they won their third straight New Jersey Athletic Conference contest to work their way upward in the conference standings.

The Lions (11-12, 5-3 NJAC) defeated the Gothic Knights (10-14, 1-7 NJAC) 18-2 in the opener and maintained their momentum winning the nightcap 14-7.

Game one

TCNJ generated plenty of runs courtesy of the long ball in the opener. Sophomore Jimmy Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly) hit pair of home runs while senior Chris Esperon (Union, NJ/Union Catholic) hit a titanic, three-run blast to lead a 20-hit attack as the Lions downed the Gothic Knights 18-2.

Freshman Rob Graber (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Ramapo) earned his first collegiate win throwing a complete game. The right-hander gave up two runs on eight hits while striking out five.

The Lions took command of the game early scoring four in the first inning. The big blow was Ruzich's first homer of the day, a three-run shot to left field. The Gothic Knights retaliated as junior Tom Burke (Edison, NJ/Immaculata) jolted his first home run of the season to cut the lead to 4-2.

TCNJ tacked on a run in the second, and in the fourth, Esperon hit his three-run homer to break the game open. Ruzich followed two batters later with a solo shot and the Lions lead swelled to 9-2.

Ruzich finished the game with a career-high four hits and six runs batted in. Esperon had three hits and four RBIs while freshman Mike Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) and junior Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) also finished with three hits. Ed Zakrzewski (Three Bridges, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and freshman Nick Cifelli (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) had two hits for the Lions.

Burke had three hits in the game and Francisco Ramirez (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) ripped a single and a double.

Game two

A seven-run second inning sparked the Lions to a 14-7 victory in the back-end of the doubleheader. NJCU did jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first, but TCNJ responded quickly with three runs in the bottom of the frame to regain control of the game.

Sophomore Rick Nuel (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) threw five innings giving up two earned runs to notch his first win of the season. Senior A.J. Adamczyk (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan) pitched two solid innings of relief giving up one earned run and striking out two before handing the ball over to junior Joe Marchitelli (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial). Marchitelli worked out of trouble in the eighth and fired a scoreless ninth to give the Lions their first three-game winning streak of the season.

After lacing 20 hits in the opening game, TCNJ rapped out 16 hits in the second game. Ruzich, Esperon, and sophomore Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) had three hits. Esperon and Galeotafiore drove as did Zakrzewski who had two more hits. Cifelli had productive at bats driving in four runs in the game.

Alex Mena (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic) had three hits and a run batted in for the Knights. Ken Witte (Wantage, NJ/High Point Regional), Rob Gonzalez (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial), and Michael Forentino (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach) each collected a pair of safeties as Fiorentino knocked in a pair of runs.

The Lions return to George Ackerman Park on Tuesday, April 13 when they take on St. Joseph's College (NY) at 3:30 p.m.