Newark, NJ... The College of New Jersey baseball team took both games of the doubleheader against Rutgers-Newark on Saturday in the first two games of the New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule. The Lions took game one by a final score of 12-0, and game two by a 7-3 tally. TCNJ improves to 12-2 on the campaign while Rutgers-Newark falls to 6-12.

In game one, Thomas Persichetti (Hamilton, NJ/Notre Dame) got the Lions on the board with an RBI groundout in the top of the first inning. In the top of the third, the sophomore outfielder laced a triple down the right field line to make it 2-0. Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, NY/Wantagh) knocked in Persichetti to put the Lions up 3-0.

Shindler extended the Lions lead to 5-0 with an RBI sac fly in the top of the seventh, and the Lions blew the game open with three runs in the top of the eighth and four in the top of the ninth.

On the mound was Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, NJ/DePaul Catholic) who shut down the Scarlet Raiders. He went the complete nine innings and allowed no runs while striking out seven batters en route to earning the win. The win was the 21st of his illustrious career, which moves him into a tie for fourth place all time in program history, and the seven k's lands him at eight place all time as he now has 167 on his career. 

In game two, the Scarlet Raiders got on the board early in the bottom of the first and the Lions gained the lead in the top of the third. Austin Lindsay (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) drove in a pair with a base hit to right center. Persichetti continued to tear it up at the plate as he knocked Lindsay in to make it a 3-1 ballgame. The Scarlet Raiders tied it up in the bottom of the third, however Steve Bucci (Washington, Twp. NJ/Washington Twp.) broke the tie with an RBI single to put the Lions up 4-3. Danny Borup (Plainsboro, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South) doubled down the left field line to drive in Bucci. Persichetti then drove in Borup with an RBI single, and Shindler made it a 7-3 game with an RBI sacrifice fly. 

The winning pitcher was starter Brandon Zachary (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) who went six innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits while striking out nine. Dylan Crowley (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) threw two shutout innings of relief, and Matt Curry (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) sealed the deal with a scoreless ninth inning.

With the two victories, the Lions push their winning streak to 11 games. 

Next up is a road game on Monday, April 2nd against Alvernia University at 3:30 pm.