COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – TCNJ starting pitcher Ben Amon had a rocky first inning of his collegiate career on Wednesday afternoon at Ursinus, allowing five runs on five hits. The freshman settled down nicely, though, as he allowed no runs on just three hits over the next six innings to keep the Lions in the game. TCNJ pulled back into the game, but the Lions lost, 5-3.

After a hit batsman and a single to open the game, Amon faced Alex Mumme, a consensus All-America selection from a year ago. Mumme showed that pedigree with a homer to left center to stake Ursinus to a 3-0 lead. Ursinus added two more runs in the frame on a base hit and a bases loaded walk to push the lead to 5-0.

After the first, though, Amon kept the Ursinus offense in check and off balance. He retired 12 hitters in a row at one point, broken up by a two-out double in the fifth. That proved harmless, however, with Amon fanning Will Peiffer in the next at-bat. Amon had three strikeouts in the fifth, and he finished with six total. In his next three at-bats, Mumme went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

The Lions' offense started chipping away in the fourth. Avery Epstein singled after one out, and he was at third after a David Cardona III single and a wild pitch. Jacob Simon followed with a single to left center to get the Lions on the board.

The Lions went station-to-station in the sixth, loading the bases without the ball leaving the infield. Thomas Persichetti got plunked to start the frame, and he later stole second. Cardona walked to fill in the empty base, and Gary Otten singled in the infield to load the bases.

That brought the first ball to the outfield in the form of a Joe Oczkowksi single through the left side to make it 5-2. TCNJ left the bases full, though.

Oczkowski recorded his second RBI of the day in the eighth. With runners at the corners and one out, he stayed out of the double play on a grounder to short to bring Cardona home. That rounded out the scoring as the Lions went down in order in the ninth.

Cardona and Simon paced the offense with two hits apiece. Tim Schumacher pitched a scoreless eighth inning in relief of Amon.

The Lions open the home schedule at George Ackerman Park on Saturday with a non-conference doubleheader against Plattsburgh State. The Lions will welcome The Miracle League of Mercer County as special guests. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11 a.m.