Montclair, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team qualified for the New Jersey Athletic Conference playoffs as they split a doubleheader with Montclair State University.
 
It took 13 innings in the opener, but the Lions got the win they needed to advance to the post-season. Stockton University had won its opener 5-4 over Rutgers-Newark, keeping their playoff hopes alive. But TCNJ clinched with an extra-inning victory to fend off the Ospreys, who held an advantage in a tie-breaker scenario.
 
The Lions will play at top-seeded Rutgers University-Camden in the opening round of the NJAC tournament at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28. TCNJ defeated the Scarlet Raptors 6-1 on their home turf earlier this season. The conference tournament is a double-elimination format.
 
Montclair State won the second game 7-2 to claim fifth place in the final regular season standings. They will play second-seeded Kean University on Tuesday, while Rowan University will visit Ramapo College in the third opening-round game.
 
Game 1:  TCNJ 6  Montclair State 5 (13 innings)
 
Junior John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) ripped a 3-1 pitch to left field to score sophomore Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) in the top of the 13^th inning to give TCNJ a 6-5 victory in the opener. Sophomore Eric Teesdale (Stratford, NJ/Sterling) got the final three outs, capping four scoreless innings of relief to lift the Lions to their biggest win of the season.
 
The bullpen was spectacular for TCNJ. Junior Joseph DiLorenzo (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) allowed just two hits over three innings and struck out a batter as the two relievers combined for seven innings of shutout baseball. Teesdale did not allow a hit and raised his season mark to 3-0.
 
Trailing 3-0 in the fourth, the Lions finally got to starter Jonathan Torregroza. Junior Patrick Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) walked and stole second. Classmate Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley)  was issued a free pass and both runners advanced. Senior Michael Murray (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg) singled to chase Roberts home and Varone followed with a base hit to score Turner and the deficit shrunk to 3-2.
 
After the Red Hawks tacked on a run in the fourth, Rizzi singled to lead off the fifth. He moved to second on a ground ball by Mark Mari (Bayonne, NJ/Seton Hall Prep). Rizzi took off for third, and when the throw from catcher sailed into left field, Rizzi raced home to make it a 4-3 game. It was his 24^th stolen base of the season.
 
After Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) singled and Roberts walked, senior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) delivered a two-out single to left to tie the score.
 
MSU answered with an unearned run in the sixth off starter Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern). They kept that 5-4 lead until the eighth, but three defensive errors in the inning led to the tying run. The Red Hawks committed six errors in the game.
 
The Lions' bullpen was composed and effective through the final seven innings. MSU managed to get runners on third base on four occasions, but DiLorenzo and Teesdale would not relent. Two pop-ups, a comebacker and a ground ball to first ended each of those four frames.
 
In the 13^th, Varone reached on an error and stole second base. Freshman Steve Bucci (Washington Twp. NJ, Washington Twp.) put down a successful sacrifice bunt to move Varone to third. Rizzi then singled to left for the go-ahead run.
 
Game 2: Montclair State 7  TCNJ 2
 
After being held scoreless for the final seven innings of the opener, the Red Hawks erupted for six runs in the first inning. The Lions played sloppy defense, committing three errors to extend the inning for the host.
 
Murray slammed a run-scoring triple in the fourth and came home on an RBI-groundout by sophomore Alex Christian (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood). That made it a 6-2 game, but TCNJ was unable to manufacture any more runs in the final five innings.
 
Freshman Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) shook off a rocky start to throw seven quality innings for the Lions. He allowed just six hits, three earned runs, one walk and struck out two. Rookie Chris Barcas (Wall, NJ/Wall) pitched a perfect eighth inning and fanned one.
 
Limon and Varone each had two hits in the game for the Lions.