Box Score


Ewing, NJ … A four-run, eighth inning snapped a 5-5 tie propelling The College of New Jersey baseball team to a 9-5 victory over New Jersey Athletic Conference foe Richard Stockton College.
 
The win secured a playoff spot for the Lions, who moved to 22-15 overall and 10-5 in league play. Ramapo College lost 2-0 to Kean University, giving TCNJ sole possession of third place heading into the final three games of conference play.
 
A two-run double in the eighth by sophomore Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) keyed the win as the Lions littered the field with 15 hits in the game. Every player in the line-up had at least one hit as senior Jimmy Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberley Academy) led the charge with three hits and two runs scored.
 
Senior Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) blasted his second home run of the season, while juniors Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-North) and Michael Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) each had two hits in the game.
 
Freshman Benito Gonzalez (Perth Amboy, NJ/Princeton) came out of the bullpen to capture his second win of the season.
 
Galeotafiore got TCNJ on the board right away, hammering a two-run home run to left field with two outs in the first. Ruzich had singled before the senior catcher launched the 12^th round-tripper of his career.
 
The Ospreys cut the lead in the half in the first and took a 3-2 lead with two runs in the third. The Lions regained control putting up a three-spot in the sixth fueled by four hits in the inning. Ruzich and Galeotafiore ignited the rally with back-to-back singles before Murphy advanced them with a sacrifice bunt. Cifelli evened the score with an RBI-single to left.
 
Freshman Mike Murray (Stewartsville/Phillipsburg) put the ball on the ground to score a second run and junior Rob Vafiadou (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) made it a 5-2 game with a base hit to center field.
 
Sophomore Brendan Kelly (Butler, NJ/Butler) had another quality start, giving up just two hits in six innings of work. He left with a 5-3 lead, but did not factor into the decision.
 
The Ospreys battled back with two runs on three hits in the seventh. With the game knotted at five, the Lions displayed the character of a team with post-season aspirations. Murphy and senior Ed Zakrzewski (Three Bridges, NJ/Hunterdon Central) led off with singles. Murray did his job with a sacrifice bunt before Vafiadou was intentionally walked to load the bases.
 
Murphy raced home on a wild pitch and Dispoto delivered a two-run double down the right-field line to make it a 8-5 advantage. Junior Jonathan Gabriel (Orefield, PA/Parkland) capped the scoring with a run-scoring single to stretch the lead to 9-5.
 
Freshman Jacob Dewitt (Florence, NJ/Florence) pitched the ninth and surrendered a leadoff walk before retiring the final three batters to put the game in the books.
 
The Lions will square off against the Ospreys again tomorrow, returning to George Ackerman Park for a 3:30 p.m. match-up. It is the final regular season home game for seven seniors on the team.