Game 1 Box score

Game 2 Box score

Newark, NJ... The College of New Jersey baseball team dropped a doubleheader at Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions (14-7, 1-4 NJAC) lost two games by a total of three runs as the Scarlet Raiders (13-8, 5-0 NJAC) remained unbeaten in conference play this season. Rutgers-Newark took the opening game 3-1 and broke a 7-7 tie with a run in the bottom of the ninth to complete the sweep.

It was a dramatic finish in game two filled with both heroics and controversy. With a runner on first and two outs in the final frame, junior Tim Miller hit a ball down the third base-line. Lions third baseman Nick Cifelli (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) made a valiant effort, but the ball took a big hop and caromed off him before rolling into the outfield tarp down the left field line. The umpires did not rule the play dead (which would have left runners and second and third) and Smith scored all the way from first with the winning run. TCNJ argued, but the umpires stood by their call.

The loss dropped the Lions to a 1-4 mark in the NJAC. They have the bulk of their conference schedule ahead of them (13 games), but could surely use a win tomorrow when they square off against Rowan University at George Ackerman Park in a make-up game scheduled for noon.

Game 1 – Rutgers-Newark 3 TCNJ 1

The Lions were held to four hits by lefthander Bill Ceruti. Ceruti struck out eight in the game for his third win of the season.

TCNJ got on board first with a run in the second inning. Sophomore Michael Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) doubled to left field and scored on an RBI single by Cifelli.

Rutgers-Newark answered with runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. An RBI groundout and two run-scoring singles gave the Ceruti all the offense he would need on the day.

Senior Connor Henderson (Monmouth Jct., NJ/South Brunswick) was the hard-luck loser pitching eight strong innings. He surrendered just two earned runs while striking out six, but dropped to 4-2 overall this season.

Game 2 Rutgers-Newark 8 TCNJ 7

The Lions jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second game. Junior Jimmy Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Academy) gave TCNJ a 1-0 lead when drove in freshman Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) with a base hit in the third inning. They tacked on three more in the fifth when junior Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) belted a bases clearing double to left field.

Rutgers-Newark climbed back into the game with two runs in the fifth off TCNJ starter Eric Lewis (Wantagh, NY/W.C. Mepham), but the Lions responded with a run in the sixth and seventh. Sophomore Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor North) ripped a run-scoring double to left in the sixth and Ruzich scored on a Cifelli fielder's choice in the seventh.

The four-run cushion was short-lived, however, as the Scarlet Raiders exploded for five in the bottom of the seventh. The big blow was a three-run double by senior Michael Cassese, which gave the host a 7-6 advantage.

The Lions battled back to tie it in the eighth. Kelly walked, advanced to second on a Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) base hit, and scored when he stole third and continued home on an overthrow by the catcher.

That set the stage for the controversial finish. After senior Joe Marchitelli (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) got the first two outs, Chris Ballester walked and Miller doubled home the game-winner.

Galeotafiore and Kelly finished with two hits, while Dispoto had a productive day on offense with a hit and three runs scored.

The Lions will play the Profs tomorrow (Sunday) at noon. Rowan swept a pair of games at Ramapo College on Saturday.