Box score

Ewing, NJ... Junior Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) lined a game-winning single in the bottom of the 12th inning to lead The College of New Jersey baseball team a to 5-4 win over Stevens Institute of Technology.

In a contest that had the feel of a post-season game, the Lions (21-8) won their seventh straight game, while the Ducks (11-18) saw their six-game win streak come to a close. Sophomore Robert Schneider (Township of Washington, NJ/Westwood Regional) earned the mound decision for TCNJ to notch his second win of the season.

With senior Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) on second base in the 12th, Galeotafiore ripped a 1-2 pitch to left-center to end the game. In a game that had its share of controversy, the Lions were able to come away with their 21st victory of the season.

Stevens took an early lead scoring a run in the first and second innings. An infield single by Russ Grimes (South Brunswick, NJ/South Brunswick) got the Ducks on the board in the first and a run-scoring double by Mike Pagliaro made it a 2-0 game.

Sophomore Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-North) circled the bases on his own in the third inning. He was hit by a pitch, stole second, swiped third, and came home on an errant throw by the catcher.

TCNJ trailed 2-1 entering the sixth, but after Michael Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) reached on an error, sophomore Andrew Priece (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater-Raritan) hit a towering blast to left field for a two-run homer. It was the first home run of the year for Priece.

Junior Dominic Capuano (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) pitched three scoreless innings, but ran into trouble in the seventh. He hit Tom Phillips (Spring Lake Heights, NJ/Manasquan) and then walked Ken Meerendonk (Washington Twp., NJ/Washington Twp.). After a sacrifice bunt advanced runners to second and third, he got a strikeout, but a wild pitch and single to right by Matt Glassman (Basking Ridge, NJ/Basking Ridge) enabled Stevens to regain the lead 4-3.

Kelly led the seventh off with a single and came around to score when Ruzich delivered a clutch, two-run single to left-center to score Kelly and knot the game at 4. The Lions had a chance to win it in the ninth, but Zegarski was cut down at the plate trying to score on an overthrow at third.

Junior Mike Ham (Sparta, NJ/Pope John XXIII) was masterful in relief throwing four and one-third innings of scoreless baseball. He allowed just one hit and struck out five to carry the Lions into the 12th inning.

Schneider came on in the 12th and yielded one hit, but sailed through the inning unscathed to set up the bottom of the inning.

Zegarski reached first on an error, the Ducks fifth of the game. Ruzich put down a successful sacrifice bunt to advance Zegarski to second. Galeotafiore then took two called strikes before Hanas missed away with a fastball. He jumped on the next pitch to send the game into the books.

Ruzich finished with three hits in the game. Galeotafiore, Kelly, and Priece each had a pair. Freshman Paul Searles (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) collected his first career hit.

Glassman and Pagliaro each had two hits for the Ducks.

NOTE: TCNJ will play the Richard Stockton College tomorrow (Wednesday) at George Ackerman Park. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday, but due to bad weather reports on Thursday, the game has been moved to Wednesday. Their scheduled game at St. Joseph's (NY) will not be made up.