Box Score
Glassboro, NJ … A pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the ninth by Rowan University handed The College of New Jersey a gut-wrenching 5-4 loss in New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Friday.
 
Prof right-fielder Ryan Pavlik singled to right field with a runner on third and two outs to tie the game. One batter later, Pavlik raced home after an infield error to complete the come-from-behind victory.
 
The narrow defeat drops TCNJ to 17-15 overall and 6-9 in the NJAC. Rowan maintains its hold on first place in the conference, improving to 26-7 this season and 11-4 in league play.
 
The loss combined with a win by Richard Stockton College over Kean University and Rutgers-Newark loss to Rutgers University-Camden locks the Lions, Ospreys, and Scarlet Raiders at 6-9. They are tied for fifth place in the standings. Ramapo was upset by New Jersey City University, dropping them to 5-9-1 and William Paterson University fell to Montclair State University and also sits at 5-9-1. 
 
Sophomore Evan Edelman (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) pitched well enough to win the match-up, but settled for a no-decision after seven and one-third quality innings. He was touched for three runs in the sixth, but contained a strong offense throughout the rest of the game. Edelman struck out five and limited the opponent to eight hits.
 
The Lions jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Junior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) registered his second triple in as many games in the top of the first. With two outs, Pat Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) singled up the middle to bring home Cocuzza.
 
Two more runs in third increased the lead to 3-0.  Sophomore John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) lined a single to center field to lead off the inning. Cocuzza followed with a base hit back through the box to put runners at first and second. Sophomore Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) bunted for a single and an errant throw by the third baseman allowed Rizzi to score.
 
Roberts collected his second run batted in of the game with a ground ball to second base. That allowed Cocuzza to score and stretch the advantage to three runs.
 
In the meantime, Edelman kept the Profs offense, a unit that leads the NJAC in most offensive categories, scoreless through the first five innings. He held them to a pair of hits over those five frames, but the Rowan bats awakened in the sixth. They rapped out five hits, highlighted by a two-run double from Casey Grimes. A single by Rich Powelson tied the game 3-3.
 
Junior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) delivered a clutch hit in the eighth to give TCNJ a 4-3 lead. With two outs and nobody on, Roberts drew a walk. Limon roped a double to right-center to score Roberts and regain the lead.
 
Junior Benito Gonzalez (Perth Amboy, NJ/Princeton) took over for Edelman with one out in the eighth. He recorded the final two outs of the inning to give the Lions a one-run advantage entering the ninth.
 
Rowan had a runner on first and he advanced to second via stolen base. He moved up to third on a ground ball out to second, and scored on the singled by Pavlik.
 
Pavlik quickly stole second and came around to score the winning run on an error.
 
Cocuzza and Limon each finished with two hits. Cocuzza scored twice and Roberts drove in two runs.
 
Both teams will meet up again as TCNJ hosts Rowan tomorrow in George Ackerman Park at 3:30. The Lions remain at home for their regular season finale when they square off against Richard Stockton on campus in an NJAC doubleheader slated for 11:30 a.m.