Box Score
Glassboro, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball suffered its second devastating loss at Rowan University in less than a week as the Profs plated five runs in the bottom of the ninth to steal a 7-6 victory in in the opening round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship tournament.
 
The fifth-seeded Lions (20-17) trailed 2-0 entering the eighth and erupted for six runs to surge to a 6-2 lead. But Kevin McMenamin singled through a five-man infield to cap a five-run rally, scoring Mark Benak with the game-winning run.
 
TCNJ will await the result of the top-seeded Rutgers University-Camden vs. sixth-seeded William Paterson University game to determine its second-round match-up. If the Scarlet Raptors win, the Lions will host the Pioneers on Thursday in George Ackerman Park at 3:30 p.m. If WPU defeats Rutgers-Camden, TCNJ would travel to Camden, NJ on Thursday.
 
Sophomore Evan Edelman (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) got the start for the Lions and did an exceptional job against a potent Rowan attack for the second straight week. He was touched for a run in the first and fifth innings, scattering eight hits over seven innings. Edelman fanned three in the game.
 
The Profs got on board with a run in the first as Casey Grimes singled through the left side to score Ryan Williams. A sacrifice fly by Kevin Pavlik in the fifth pushed Rowan's lead to 2-0.
 
Prof starting pitcher Ryan Sharkey was cruising along through the first seven frames, but the Lion bats came alive in the eighth. Freshman Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) sparked the rally with a lead-off single through the middle. Sophomore John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) followed with a bunt base hit, and junior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt.
 
Designated hitter Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) tied the game with a base hit through the left side. Junior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) delivered a single to left to plate Turner and give TCNJ a 3-2 lead.
 
After a wild pitch, Michael Murray (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg) stroked a single to right to score Pat Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough), who had reached on fielder's choice. Senior Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) punched a base hit to left to score another run and later came home on a wild pitch. When the dust finally settled, the Lions held a 6-2 lead.
 
Junior Michael Correa (Freehold, NJ/Freehold Twp) worked out of a jam in the eighth to maintain a four-run advantage entering the final frame. In the bottom of the ninth, Rowan quickly loaded the bases and a single by Williams cut the lead to 6-3. Pavlik delivered the big blow of the inning when he tripled down the right-field line to tie the game 6-6 in nobody out. After an intentional walk, McMenamin ended the game with a base hit to right field.
 
The Profs (29-8) came from behind in the ninth last Thursday to down the Lions 4-3 in Glassboro.
 
Murray, Cocuzza, and Turner finished with two hits apiece for the Lions.
 
TCNJ will dust itself off to play its second-round game on Thursday. The winner advances to Saturday, where all games will be played at the site of the highest remaining seed.