Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey split a doubleheader with 14
th-ranked Ramapo College in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Sunday afternoon in George Ackerman Park.
The Lions (13-13, 5-4 NJAC) received a solid pitching performance from junior
Brendan Kelly (Butler, NJ/Butler) as he tossed eight innings to lead TCNJ to a 6-4 victory in the opener. The Roadrunners (18-5-1, 5-3-1 NJAC) answered back with a 7-2 win in the nightcap as senior
Frank Baldini and
Dan LaRocca limited the Lion offense to six hits.
Game 1: TCNJ 6 Ramapo 4
Kelly scattered nine hits and struck out six to garner his fifth win of the season in the first game. He battled for eight innings before handing the ball over to freshman
William Worswick (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingston). He slammed the door for his third save of the season.
TCNJ took an early lead in the second. With runners on first and third and one out,
Jake DeWitt (Florence, NJ/Florence) executed a squeeze bunt as
Mike Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) slid around the tag to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. The Roadrunners came back with a run in the third as
Christian Spurr delivered an RBI-single to left field to score
Kevin Case.
The Lions plated two runs in the fourth and fifth innings. They took advantage of some shaky defensive play in the field. DeWitt knocked in his second run of the game with a ground ball to second, and freshman
Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) raced home on a wild pitch to push ahead 3-1.
A two-out rally extended the lead to 5-1. Sophomore
Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) doubled to left-center and moved to third on a passed ball. Murphy walked and sophomore
Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) singled to right to plate Cocuzza. An infield error by the Roadrunners allowed Murphy to score the Lions' fifth run.
The Roardrunners cut the deficit to 5-2 in sixth.
Chris Werr belted his first home run of the season over the left-center field fence with two out in the inning.
The Lions capitalized on two free passes and error in the sixth to score another run without the service of a hit. Cocuzza lined a shot to center field for a sacrifice fly to score freshman
Mark Mari (Bayonne, NJ/Seton Hall Prep).
Ramapo drew with two runs in the eighth.
Christian Spurr poked a two-run singled to center field to knock in two runs and make it a 6-4 game. But Kelly bared down to get the final two outs of the inning and maintain the two-run cushion.
Worswick retired all three batters he faced to secure the win and his third save. Cocuzza had two hits in the win.
Spurr finished with three hits and three runs batted in for Ramapo.
Dave Jacob also collected two hits in the game.
Game 2: Ramapo 7 TCNJ 2
The Roadrunners produced runs in four of the first five innings to en route to a 7-2 triumph. Baldini surrendered two runs over six solid innings before LaRocca worked three scoreless innings for his first save of the season.
Ramapo jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of
Kevin Kelly. The Lions encountered some misfortune as starting pitcher
Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern Regional) was forced to leave the game due to injury. Rookie
Evan Edelman (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) came on in relief to get the final out of the opening frame.
TCNJ answered with a run in the first. Singles by senior
Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor) and junior
Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) followed by a Murphy walk loaded the bases. An infield single by Limon plated Kelly to draw within 3-1.
Ramapo tallied single runs in the third and fourth, followed by two runs in the fifth to open up a 7-1 lead. Werr and Spurr each stroked an RBI doubles before
Joe Venturino hit a two-out, two-run single in the fifth.
Limon lifted a long fly ball to center field with the bases loaded to knock in his second run of the game. The Lions were in position to get more, but Baldini worked his way out of the jam with his fifth and sixth strikeouts to finish his day.
Edelman did a nice job filling in unexpectedly, pitching five and one-third innings. He gave up four runs (three earned) and struck out two. Senior
Alan Genitempo (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) was sharp in relief, tossing two scoreless innings on one-hit ball. Sophomore
Benito Gonzalez (Perth Amboy, NJ/Princeton) came in for an appearance out of the bullpen and pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
Spurr collected three hits for the second straight game and was 6-for-9 with five RBIs on the afternoon. Kelly had two hits and two runs batted in, while Werr had two hits and drove in a run.
Scott Kelly had two hits, a run scored, and a stolen base in the loss.
TCNJ will continue conference play tomorrow, traveling to Wayne, NJ to take on William Paterson University at 3:30 p.m.