Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey baseball team combined a strong offensive performance with near spotless pitching as they defeated Gwynedd-Mercy University 13-0 in their season opener on Tuesday afternoon at George Ackerman Park.
 
A pair of sophomores had big days for the Lions as Zach Shindler (Wantagh, NJ/Wantagh) went 4-for-4 with three singles and a triple, and right-hander Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, NJ/DePaul Catholic) fired seven scoreless innings to register his first win of the season.
 
Lions' Head Coach Dean Glus had to be pleased with the way his squad executed on opening day. His offense rapped out 13 hits, the pitchers issued just three free passes, and the defense did not commit a single error. Catcher Matt Facas (Florham Park, NJ/Hanover Park) lifted a pair of sacrifice flies and the infield defense turned two double plays.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Lions erupted for five runs in the second. Shindler opened the inning with a long triple to right-center and came home on a Facas sac fly to right field to open the scoring. Senior John Rizzi (Millington, NJ/Watchung Hills) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run before sophomore Mike Follet (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) raced home on a wild pitch. Junior Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), who had walked, trotted home after a balk was called, and sophomore Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) capped the scoring with a single to right field.
 
Follet and Varone produced run-scoring singles in the third to make it a 7-0 game, and the Lions tacked on another run in the fifth off of the second Facas sacrifice fly.
 
In the meantime, Cirillo was cruising through the Griffin lineup. He faced only 23 batters over seven innings, including 14 ground ball outs.
 
The offense continued to add to the lead, pushing two runs across in the sixth and three more in the eighth. Alex Christian (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) roped a two-run single and senior Patrick Roberts (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) scored a pair of runs and laced a triple.
 
Freshman Michael Fischer (Trenton, NJ/Robbinsville) made his collegiate debut and tossed the eighth inning, while senior Joe Dilorenzo (West Orange, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) closed it out with a scoreless ninth.
 
The Lions are back in action this Saturday when the host Keene State University for a double header that is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.