Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team suffered a 12-4 setback to Rowan University on Thursday afternoon in George Ackerman Park.
 
The Profs (16-7, 5-2 NJAC) jumped out to an early lead and capitalized on 15 hits and some shaky defensive play to capture their 16^th win of the season. The Lions fell to 8-10 overall and 1-4 in the conference.
 
Rowan chalked up two runs in the first to take an early lead with run-scoring singles off the bats of Steven Todd and Nick Kreiger.
 
The Lions answered back with a run in the bottom of the inning. John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) led off with a single to left, stole second and advanced to third on a balk. Senior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) hit a hard ground ball to third that took a bad hop and caromed off third baseman Kevin McMenamin. Rizzi scored on the play to cut the deficit to 2-1.
 
TCNJ starter Evan Edelman (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) and Rowan right hander Johnny Dunn pitched a scoreless second inning, but the Profs plated five runs in the third. Grimes walked and raced to third on a double by McMenamin. An infield error allowed Grimes to score with the Profs third run of the game.
 
Three consecutive bunt plays wreaked havoc on the Lions' defense. Two were misplayed and Evan Hughes beat out a bunt for a base hit. Mike Ras came home on a passed ball and Rowan was quickly u 7-1.
 
In the fourth, catcher Matt Facas (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) singled to lead off the inning. Rizzi grounded into a fielder's choice and promptly stole second base. Cocuzza stroked his second RBI-single of the game to right to close the gap to 7-2.
 
The Profs extended their lead to 10-2 in the sixth. Todd doubled, Kreiger tripled and Ras lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. A single, wild pitch and RBI-single by Greg Myers gave Rowan its third run of the inning.
 
Dunn retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth before being touched for a pair in the seventh. Cocuzza lined his third hit of the day to score Rizzi and later came on an RBI-ground out by junior Pat Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough).
 
Edelman went six and a thirds inning for the Lions and struck out three. Freshman Chris Barcas (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) pitched the final two and two-thirds and fanned three.
 
Grimes and Todd finished with three hits, while Kreiger, McMenamin and Hughes had two apiece for Rowan. Dunn earned his first win of the season, going eight inning and striking out four.
 
Rizzi finished with three runs scored and stole three bases. He has stolen six in his last two games. Junior Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) was 2-for-4 on the day.
 
TCNJ gets another crack at Rowan tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in Glassboro, NJ.