Box Score



Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team defeated 15th-ranked Rowan University 4-2 in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Thursday afternoon at George Ackerman Park.
 
A two-run single by Jon Gabriel (Orefield, PA/Parkland) in the seventh inning was the difference in the game as the Lions (14-9, 2-1) knocked off their second ranked opponent in five days. TCNJ played well in all facets of the game, capitalizing on timely situational hitting, solid defense, and dominant pitching.
 
Sophomore Brendan Kelly (Butler, NJ/Butler) went seven strong innings for his third victory of the season, and senior Mike Ham (Sparta, NJ/Pope John Paul XXIII) closed out the ninth inning for his fifth save of 2012.
 
The Profs (15-7, 1-2) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when senior Matt Hill (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) singled to right field to plate Brandon Winkler (Glendora, NJ/Paul VI).
 
After freshman Andrew Lysy (Allentown, NJ/Allentown) held the Lions scoreless through the first five innings, junior Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-North) led off the sixth with a base hit. He stole second base before Gabriel drew a base on balls. Senior Jimmy Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Academy) advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and junior Michael Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) grounded to a drawn-in third baseman. He looked Kelly back and Kelly broke on the throw to first, narrowly beating the throw home to tie the game 1-1.
 
Galeotafiore then stepped up and ripped a base hit to left field to plate Gabriel, and TCNJ owned its first lead of the contest.
 
Rowan came right back with a run in the seventh when freshman Nick Kreiger (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) singled to left field to knock in Flex Colarte (North Bergen, NJ/NortheBergen). With a runner on second base, the Lions avoided any more damage when Murphy made a catch in deep right off the bat of Matt Benak (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) before crashing into the fence.
 
In the seventh, senior Ed Zakrzewski (Three Bridges, NJ/Hunterdon Central) started the inning off with a bunt base hit. Freshman Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) put down a sacrifice bunt to move Zakrzewski and freshman Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) singled to center to put runners at first and third. Kelly hit a rocket right at the Rowan third baseman for the second out before Gabriel came through with his clutch hit make it a 4-2 game.
 
Freshman Benito Gonzalez (Perth Amboy,  NJ/Princeton) got a pair of key strikeouts in the eighth and Ham fanned two Profs in the ninth to seal the win.
 
Kelly went seven innings to earn his third win of the season. He scattered eight hits, giving up two runs, allowed two walks, and struck out two. Lysy (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season and struck out four in the game.
 
Galeotafiore finished with two hits in the game for the Lions. Scott Kelly had two more stolen bases in the game, and is now 25-of-28 on the season.
 
Hill had two hits for Rowan and Kreiger was a perfect 4-for-4 on the afternoon.
 
TCNJ visits Rowan tomorrow in Glassboro, NJ at 3:30 p.m. The Lions return home for an NJAC doubleheader on Saturday, squaring off against Rutgers-Newark at 11:30.