Ewing, NJ … The flowers in May had better be like Sunday at the Masters in New Jersey because the frequency of rain in April has been exasperating. Seven times a game has been postponed or cancelled for The College of New Jersey baseball team this season which has players, coaches, and fans frustrated.

With consistency being a vital component to success in the sport of baseball, the amount of gaps in the schedule has made it difficult to approach that standard. TCNJ has lost four straight games, all coming against conference opponents. While rainouts can't be the source of blame for the Lions (14-8) recent struggles, it certainly doesn't help.

Head coach Dean Glus is focusing only on what he can control. The weather is not one of them, but how his players get after wins is something he's been preaching of late.

“There are a lot of little things that we can do better, but I can't really say there is one specific area that would explain the last few losses,” said Glus. “From an approach standpoint, I think that when we get a lead, we need to continue pushing forward and widen the gap. We can't play to hold onto the lead or play not to lose. We need to stay aggressive.”

A thorn in the side of TCNJ and its recent slide has been surrendering runs with two outs. Rowan scored five of its seven runs during a pair of innings where there was two outs and nobody on. In the ninth-inning loss to Rutgers University-Newark, the first two hitters in the ninth were retired before the controversial ending.

But do those situational statistics point to a flaw in the Lions, or just timely production by their opponents? While the post-game talk from coach Glus in right field might address the two-out runs with concern in the 7-4 loss to Rowan, Profs coach Juan Ranero is standing in front of his players in left field applauding his hitters for performing in the clutch.

The rain has also pinched Glus' ability to get innings for members of his pitching staff. Several pitchers have gone weeks without toeing the rubber in game-action, but the weather has reduced the amount of starts and innings available to be allocated. While arms are rested, feel pitches and pitching in critical game situations have gone untested.

That was not a problem, however, for sophomore Robert Schneider. Schneider hadn't pitched in nearly a month, but came in to throw three scoreless (and hitless) innings of relief against Kean University. Glus knows with the packed schedule of games that lie ahead over the next three weeks that there will be pitchers who are called upon to come through in big spots.

“There is going to be someone who comes up huge for us in the upcoming weeks,” noted Glus. “I don't know who that is just yet, but I know we have some pitchers who are anxious for their opportunity.”

Perhaps this particular break in the schedule (this week) will have a positive effect on the club and give the Lions time to regroup and right the ship. With a pair of games against Rutgers University-Camden followed by a home doubleheader with William Paterson University, TCNJ could put up four quick wins and be back to .500 in the NJAC by Saturday evening. One thing that is certain, the Lions are capable of stringing victories together, as proven by their 12-2 start.

“We have to stay aggressive on the field, but also play smart,” Glus said. “If we play together with one common goal, we're capable of achieving a lot with this team. Fortunately for us, we have 12 more games to do that and it starts tomorrow at (Rutgers) Camden.”