Union, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team won its second straight game in the 2015 New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Tournament, defeating fourth-seeded Rowan University 5-1 on Friday afternoon.
 
The Lions (18-16) will now play second-seeded Kean University (30-10) tomorrow at 1:30 p.m at Jim Hynes Field. The Cougars defeated Ramapo College 5-4 in the nightcap. The Roadrunners will square off against Rutgers University-Camden at 10 a.m. The four teams are the only ones remaining in the tournament.
 
Junior Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, NJ/Eastern Regiona) saved his finest outing of the season for the playoffs. He threw a complete game, limiting the Profs to just one run on four hits in the contest.
 
Neither team managed to score a run in the opening four frames. The Profs nearly got on the board in the second, but great defensive execution by the Lions kept the game scoreless. With Kevin McMenamin on third and one out, Monny Strickland lifted a fly ball to center field. Rizzi made the catch and McMenamin tagged up. Junior John Rizzi (Long Hill, NJ/Watchung Hills) fired a strike to senior Josh Limon (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley), who wheeled and delivered a bullet to catcher Matt Facas and cut down McMenamin at the plate.

The game remained locked at zero until the fifth. Limon doubled to left field to open the inning. After Rowan starter Ryan Sharkey retired the next two batters, Limon stole third with sophomore Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee at the plate. He then ripped a full-count pitch down the left-field line to score Limon with the game's first run. Rizzi then singled to left to chase Varone, and TCNJ held a 2-0 lead.
 
TCNJ stretched the lead to 3-0 in the seventh when Varone walked, Rizzi singled and they pulled off a double steal. Varone then raced home on a wild pitch to give Vople more cushion.
 
Rowan tallied its lone run of the game in the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice fly scored Casey Grimes, who had singled, to make it a 3-1 contest.
 
In the eighth, the Lions loaded the bases with one out. Senior Anthony Cocuzza (Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) and junior Garen Turner (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) singled. Senior Michael Murray (Stewartsville, NJ/Phillipsburg) was hit by a pitch and junior Matt Facas (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) walked to force in a run. Varone then drew a walk and the lead grew to 5-1.
 
Volpe got the final six outs to send TCNJ to the winner's bracket final. The victory avenged a gut-wrenching loss last season when Rowan tallied five in the ninth inning to steal a 7-6 win.
 
Rizzi and Turner finished with two hits each, while Varone knocked in a pair.

TCNJ was swept by both Kean and Ramapo during the regular season. They were also swept by Rowan, making the previous sentence irrelevant.