WAYNE, N.J. – The TCNJ baseball team saw its 2021 season come to an end in the NJAC Tournament semifinals on Friday, losing twice at William Paterson in the best-of-three series. WPU took Game 1, 4-2, before eliminating the Lions in Game 2, 11-6.
Game 1: William Paterson 4, TCNJ 2
The teams combined for just eight hits in Game 1, with TCNJ starting pitcher
Ben Amon allowing five hits through 6.2 innings pitched. WPU's Dan Carter proved to be Amon's chief nemesis, helping the Pioneers to a 3-0 lead thanks to a solo home run in the second inning and a two-run double in the third.
The score didn't change until TCNJ got on the board with two runs in the sixth.
Jack Haynes singled to move
Joey Cruciata to third base with nobody out, and Cruciata scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-1.
Sebastian JnoBaptiste followed by striking out, but he reached on another wild pitch. Those two wild pitches had Haynes at third base, and the Lions cashed in with a
Chris Cote sacrifice fly to score Haynes.
After William Paterson got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth to make it 4-2, the Lions' best shot to tie the score came in the ninth. Cote led off with a walk, and
Ryan Goodall followed with a single to put the tying run on base. The runners, however, would advance no further as a fielder's choice putout and a double play ended the threat and the game.
Chris Cassini pitched 1.1 innings in hitless relief of Amon.
Game 2: William Paterson 11, TCNJ 6
The bats awoke in Game 2, with TCNJ serving as the home team. WPU scored in the top of the first, but the Lions tied it right back up in the bottom half. JnoBaptiste singled and later scored on Cote's RBI single.
The Pioneers scored two more in the top of the second, but the Lions again responded in the home half.
Avery Epstein led off with a double, and
Joe Oczkowski followed with a hit-by-pitch. After an out, Cruciata tied the score with a triple to right field. Haynes put the Lions ahead, 4-3, with an RBI groundout to second to plate Cruciata.
WPU jumped back ahead, 5-4, with two runs in the fourth and extended their lead to 8-4 with a three-run sixth. Goodall led off the inning with a double to right center, and
Chris Reeder drove him in with a single to left to make it 8-5.
A three-run seventh for WPU hurt the Lions' chances, however, pushing the lead to 11-5. In the bottom of the seventh, Reeder again singled home a run, this time bringing home Cote.
Trailing, 11-6, the Lions were held hitless in each of their final two at-bats to bring the 2021 season to a close.
Reeder and Epstein each had two hits to lead the Lions' offensive attack.
