Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team suffered a pair of setbacks as they were swept by Kean University in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon in George Ackerman Park.
 
The Cougars took the opener 9-3 and completed the sweep with a 10-5 win in the second game. Kean improved to 15-4 overall and 2-0 in the NJAC. The Lions dropped to 7-7 and 0-2 in the conference.
 
Game 1:  Kean  9  TCNJ 3
 
Kean received a complete-game performance from right-hander Charles Thielman to take the opener by a score of 9-3. He struck out seven hitters en route to his second victory of the season.
 
Sophomore CJ Gearhart (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) stroked a pair of hits for TCNJ, but a 7-0 lead early in the game was too much to overcome.
 
The Cougars jumped out early, plating an unearned run in the first and four in the second. A two-run double by catcher Mike Kendall punctuated the big inning for Kean.
 
A pair of outfield errors led to another run in the third before Matt Krupa doubled to left-center in the fourth to extend the visitor lead to 6-0.
 
The Lions got on board with three runs in the fourth. Senior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) legged out an infield single and stole second. Junior Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) doubled to left and Cocuzza came around to score with TCNJ's first run.
 
Junior Pat Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) followed with a base hit to left-center to advance Turner to third. Senior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) lifted a long fly ball to left and Turner tagged to score the second run. Two batters later, junior Matt Facas (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) singled right field and Roberts crossed home plate to make it a 7-3 game.

That would all the offense the Lions could muster off of Thielman. He faced the minimum nine batters of the final three frames to close out the win. Kendall, Krupa, Matt Meleo and Brock Podgurski each finished with two hits for Kean.
 
Senior Connor Smith (North Caldwell, NJ/James Caldwell) suffered the loss. Freshman Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) did a solid job in relief, tossing three scoreless innings and striking out two.
 
 
 
Game 2: Kean 10  TCNJ 5
 
A five-run, seventh inning by the Cougars was the difference in the nightcap as they completed the sweep with a 10-5 victory. The game was tied 5-5 entering the seventh, but the Cougars plated five unearned runs to pull away in the contest.
 
Kean reliever Vinnie Zanfordino pitched four scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out one to earn his first win of the season.
 
TCNJ bolted to a 2-0 lead in the first. Junior John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) walked on four pitches to open the inning and then stole his seventh base of the season. With two outs, Turner hit a ground ball up the middle that was stopped when Kean second baseman Brock Podgurski dove to his right. He was injured on the play and Rizzi continued around third to score the first run of the game.
 
Roberts then laced a line drive into the left field corner. Tuner raced all the way from first to score and give the Lions a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Cougars responded with three runs in the top of the third. Sal Taormina led off with a single to center. Anthony Fishetti followed with a single and Podgurski walked to load the bases. Right fielder Ryan Kelley then doubled off the base of the fence in right field to drive in a pair. Shortstop Chris Amato lifted a sacrifice fly to center and Kean took a 3-2 lead.
 
In the third, Gearhart drew a leadoff walk for the Lions. Cocuzza then turned on a 1-0 pitch and drilled it off the fence in left field for a double. Gearhart raced home on a passed ball and then Roberts singled to right score Cocuzza and give TCNJ a 4-3 lead.
 
The Lions stretched the lead to 5-3 with a two-out rally in the fourth. With two away, Rizzi walked and Gearhart reached on an infield single. That chased Cougar starting pitcher Emilio Calderon. Cocuzza greeted Kean reliever Matthew Wagner with a sharp double down the left field line to score Rizzi.
 
Kean chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth before putting up a five-spot in the seventh. Zanfordino took care of the lead and the Cougars were able to grab a pair of wins.
 
For the Lions, Cocuzza finished with three hits, including two doubles. Rizzi added two hits and scored twice, while Roberts chipped with two hits and two runs batted in.
 
Kean got great production out of the bottom of its line-up. Kelley led the Cougar offense with three hits and three RBI. Tyler Heisch entered the game in the fifth and finished 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and a run scored. Shortstop Chris Amato also had two hits and a pair of runs batted in.
 
TCNJ starter Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern Regional) battled through six innings and left with the game tied 5-5. Senior Ryan Carmon (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery) took the loss, despite giving up no earned runs.
 
The Lions are back on the field Tuesday when they visit Widener University. They return home to take on Stockton University at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.