Lake Myrtle, Fla. … Junior Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) tied the game with a clutch, two-out single in the bottom of the ninth and then won it with a walk-off single in the 11^th as The College of New Jersey captured a thrilling 8-7 victory over the University of Wisconsin-Platteville on Wednesday afternoon.
 
The 13^th-ranked Lions (5-1) won their opening match-up with Dickinson College 12-7 and then erased a 7-4 deficit against the Pioneers to claim both contests. It was a tremendous afternoon of baseball for TCNJ as they received contributions from up and down their line-up, the bullpen, and on the defensive side of the ball.
 
Senior Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), who scored the game-winning run against Platteville, collected the 100^th hit of his standout career in the opening win. Varone went 5-for-8 on the day with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Junior Austin Lindsay (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) picked up his first win on the mound, while Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) threw two innings of spotless relief to earn his second of the season. He also secured the opening win, pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.
 
The Lions return to the diamond tomorrow when they face Webster University at 4 p.m.
 
Game 1: TCNJ 12  Dickinson College 7
 
The Lions cracked 14 hits in the opener, coming back from a 7-3 deficit against the Red Devils (8-4). A six-run fifth inning highlighted the affair, followed by three more in the ninth to provide cushion for Curry.
 
The senior class got things going for the Lions early on. C.J. Gearhart (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) ripped a two-out, two-run single to left in the first. Varone lined a single to center in the second to stretch the TCNJ to 3-0.
 
Dickinson chipped away at their deficit with two runs in the third and then put up a five-spot in the fourth to take a 7-3 lead. The Lions retaliated with six-runs on seven hits in the fifth. Shindler, Alex Christian (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood), junior Mike Follet (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), sophomore Tommy McCarthy (Allentown, NJ/Allentown), and Varone all contributed RBI singles in the inning.
 
In the ninth, McCarthy drove a two-run double to left to plate Gearhart and freshman Jacob Simon (Hightstown, NJ/Hightstown) launched a triple to left-center to score McCarthy. Varone then stepped up and smoked a single to left for his 100^th career hit.
 
Freshan Sean Ilves (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) threw three innings of scoreless relief to quiet the Dickinson offense. He struck out two and allowed just one hit. Lindsay struck out four in five innings of work.
 
Game 2: TCNJ  University of Wisconsin-Platteville
 
The Lions jumped out to an early lead for the second straight game, and then found themselves down 6-2 in the fourth. After manufacturing a pair of runs in the first, the Lions surrendered six unanswered runs to the Pioneers.
 
A sacrifice fly by Follet and an RBI-single off the bat of McCarthy drew TCNJ within two runs. UW-P tacked on another run in the fifth, but the Lions rallied for two in the seventh to make it a 7-6 game. Rookie Thomas Persichetti (Hamilton, NJ/Notre Dame) laced a two-run single to center to score Varone and Simon.
 
Simon ignted the ninth-inning rally with a single to center. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Varone and advanced to third when Persichetti grounded to short. Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) drew a walk to set up Shindler. He took a fastball on the outer half of the plate and drilled it left to tie the game and force extra innings.
 
Curry kept the Pioneer offense in check for two frames before Varone drew a free pass to open the 11^th. Perischetti put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to put Varone in scoring position. After Eric Rano (Branchburg, NJ/Somerville) worked a walk, Shindler ripped a base hit to right field. Varone raced around third and the throw took the catcher to the first-base side of the plate. That gave Varone enough room to slide in safely and set off a wild celebration.
 
Freshman Max Guidice (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) got the start on the mound for the Lions and struck out three. Dean Austin (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) also saw his first collegiate innings, pitching three-plus innings. He surrendered just one run on two hits and struck out two. Freshman Nickolas Kleftogiannis (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) tossed two scoreless innings in his debut on the mound, striking out two.
 
Simon had three hits in the game, while Perischetti and Shindler added two apiece.