Box Score
Ewing, NJ … Rowan University plated five runs in the top of the 11^th inning to upend The College of New Jersey 7-2 in 11 innings on Friday afternoon.
 
The loss drops the Lions to 17-16 this season and 6-10 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings. Richard Stockton College and Rutgers-Newark were also defeated, keeping all three teams deadlocked at 6-10 in sixth place. That sets up a critical match-up tomorrow as TCNJ hosts the Ospreys in a doubleheader on the final weekend of the regular season.
 
Ramapo College defeated New Jersey City University, moving them one point ahead of the Lions, Ospreys, and Scarlet Raiders.
 
TCNJ nearly returned the favor after suffering a ninth-inning setback yesterday. The Lions trailed 2-1 entering the bottom of the ninth and tied the game when junior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) singled to score junior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) and tie the game at 2-2.
 
Two batters later, senior Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) singled to left field. But Prof left-fielder Nick Kreiger delivered a strike to catcher Connor Grant at the plate to cut down pinch-runner Peter Kennedy (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) and force extra innings.
 
Neither team was able to push a run across in the 10^th, but the Profs erupted for five runs on six hits in the 11^th.  Casey Grimes led off the inning with his third hit of the game. Kevin McMenamin followed with a single to right-center. An error on a sacrifice bunt led to the go-ahead run, but the Profs kept the offensive pressure on to pull away. Scott Bruno delivered an RBI-single before a Kreiger base hit plated two.
 
Earlier in the game, the Profs manufactured a run in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Ryan Williams walked and stole second. He moved over to third on a ground ball to second base and then scored (unearned) on an infield error.
 
They tallied a second run in the sixth when Grimes doubled to left and later scored on a wild pitch.
 
TCNJ got on the board when junior Michael Murray (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg) led off the eighth with a sharp single down the right field line. A failed pick-off attempt allowed Murray round second and stop at third safely. Dispoto hit a hard ground ball to first that took a bad hop past the first baseman to bring home Murray.
 
Sophomore Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern Regional) was extremely effective through eight innings. He limited the Profs to just four hits and one earned run. Volpe retired the side in order in the seventh and eighth and kept the Lions within striking distance the entire game, pitching well enough to win.
 
Rowan junior Ryan Sharkey tossed eight strong innings for the Profs, allowing just one run on five hits. Corey Geigenbaum earned the win in relief and improved to 2-0 this season.
 
Dispoto finished with three hits and Cocuzza added a pair.
 
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. Tomorrow is Senior Day as the program will recognize its four graduating seniors prior to the game.