Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey rolled to its third straight New Jersey Athletic Conference victory as they swept Rutgers University-Camden on Sunday afternoon in George Ackerman Park.
 
The Lions (16-16, 8-6) won the opener 4-3 in 10 innings on a walk-off single by senior Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-North). They completed the sweep with a 10-3 triumph in the nightcap as TCNJ banged out 15 hits.
 
The wins enabled the Lions to maintain pace with Richard Stockton College (8-6) and remain in fourth place in the league standings. They moved a half a game ahead of Ramapo College (7-6-1). The Scarlet Raptors dropped to 5-9 in the conference.
 
Game 1: TCNJ 4  Rutgers-Camden 3 (10 innings)
 
Kelly lined a game-winning single to left field to give TCNJ a 4-3 victory in 10 innings. Freshman William Worswick (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingston) earned his second victory of the season in relief.
 
The Lions struggled offensively in the opener as they managed just three unearned runs on four hits through the first nine innings. After Rutgers-Camden tied the game in the eighth inning and forced extra frames, junior Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) roped a triple to right field to lead off the tenth. Kelly turned on the second pitch he saw to end the game and spark a team celebration.
 
The Scarlet Raptors touched Lions' starter Robert Graber (Franklin Lakes, NJ/Ramapo) for an unearned run in the first. Adrian Gonzalez got on board on a two-base error with two outs and came home to score when Dave Prager singled through the middle.
 
A three-run third inning gave the Lions a 3-2 advantage. Sophomore Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) grounded an RBI-single to left field. Senior Michael Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island Tech) followed with an sacrifice fly, and Cocuzza raced home on a wild pitch to give Graber a one-run cushion.
 
RUC tied it up in the top of the eighth. A walk, stolen base, and infield error led to their third unearned run of the game. The Scarlet Raptors threatened to take the lead, but Graber induced a ground out to second to escape the threat.
 
Graber was lifted after eight strong innings on the mound. He scattered eight hits and struck out three, with all three runs allowed being unearned.
 
A fine defensive play in the outfield by rookie Mark Mari (Bayonne, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) was key in the top of the ninth. The Scarlet Raptors had a runner on third with two outs and Kyle Gaff hit a humpback line drive to left field. Mari raced in and made a diving catch in front of him to keep the game tied 3-3.
 
Worswick pitched a scoreless tenth inning before Dispoto and Kelly ended the game in the bottom of the frame. It was the first extra-inning victory for TCNJ, snapping a four-game skid in extra frames this season.
 
Cocuzza had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI in the win, while catcher Paul Searles (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) gunned down a pair of runners attempting to steal.
 
Prager and George Spingler each had two hits for the Rutgers-Camden. John Griffin gave up just one run in six strong innings in relief, but was tagged with the loss.
 
 
Game 2: TCNJ 10  Rutgers-Camden 3
 
A five-run, third inning propelled the Lions to a 10-3 win in the back end of the twinbill. Freshman righthander Evan Edleman (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) improved his record to 3-1, while Kelly led the offense with four hits and three runs batted in.
 
The Scarlet Raptors took a 1-0 lead in the second. Prager doubled to right field and came into the score when Connor Hall followed with a two-base hit.
 
The Lions evened the score thanks to the Dispoto-Kelly combination that produced once again. Dispoto singled and scored all the way from first when Kelly laced a double to left field.
 
RUC pushed ahead with a second run in the third, but TCNJ erupted for five runs with two outs in bottom of the inning. Freshman Pat Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) reached base on a fielder's choice to put a runner on first with two outs. Senior Rob Vafiadou (Holmdel, NJ/Holmdel) singled and stole second before Searles walked. Dispoto legged out an infield single and Roberts scored to tie the game.
 
Kelly then stroked a sharp single to left to plate Vafiadou and Searles. Mari was issued a free pass and Cocuzza singled to score Dispoto. Kelly came home on a throwing error and TCNJ quickly owned a 6-2 lead.
 
Mari sent a run-scoring triple to right in the fifth and Cocuzza delivered another RBI-base hit to extend the lead to 8-2. An RBI-double to left by Searles in the sixth and a single run in the seventh gave the Lions double-digit runs in the game.
 
Edelman had to work his way through the first couple innings before settling in and coasting through the final four innings of his outing. He tossed seven innings and gave up three runs (two earned) and struck out four, while walking none. Rookie Joseph DiLorenzo (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) mopped up the final two innings, tossing a pair of scoreless frames and striking out two.
 
Sophomore Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) had three hits in the game, while Cocuzza and Dispoto each had two hits.
 
Murphy had two hits on the day and now has 195 in his career in a TCNJ uniform.
 
TCNJ visit FDU-Florham on Tuesday before returning to conference play at Rowan University on Thursday afternoon.
 
Notes: The Lions baseball program hosted Military Day at George Ackerman Park. An annual event conceptualized by head coach Dean Glus, the day is designed to recognize and show our appreciation to those, both past and present, who have answered our nation's call to serve and protect the freedoms we enjoy as a country today. The Color Guard from The College of New Jersey's Army Officer Education Program presented the colors prior to the national anthem.
 
Joe Montelone '84, a former Lions' pitcher in 1983 and 1984, threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the opening game. It was 30 years ago that Monteleone stood on the hill at George Ackerman Park and brought a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Rutgers-Camden. The no-no was broken up with one out in the ninth on a base hit to right field.
 
Monteleone is currently senior project manager for PPL energy company and resides in Bethlehem, Pa. He has a daughter, CarolAnn, and son, Joseph, who also attended the game.