EWING, N.J.- The TCNJ baseball team got back in the win column and kept their playoff hopes alive with a 13-5 victory against Ramapo on Friday afternoon. The Lions (19-15, 7-9) got out to a quick nine-run lead and never looked back as they continued to put the pressure on the Roadrunners (23-13, 10-6).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After a scoreless first, TCNJ struck first with a six-run top of the second on four hits and two errors in the field.
  • A fielding error coming off the bat of Mike LaGravenis drove in Jack O'Donnell for the first run of the game.
  • With runners on first and third and one out, Andrew Fernandez singled to left field, driving in LaGravenis. Michael Schumacher and Jack Haynes also scored on this play after an error in the outfield.
  • With the bases loaded and two outs, Ryan Goodall doubled to left center, bringing in Justin Marcario and Fernandez.
• The Lions continued to pile it on in the third as they scored another three runs, coming off of four hits.
  • Following a pair of hits and a hit-by-pitch, LaGravenis singled through the left side, sending Haynes and Schumacher home.
  • Fernandez drove in the third run of the inning in the next at-bat with a single to left.
• Ramapo nearly halved the lead in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs on three hits to bring the score to 9-5.
• Both teams would go scoreless through the next two before the Lions put up another trio of runs on one hit and an error in the field to go back up by nine.
  • With the bases loaded and one out, a wild pitch brought in Goodall for the first run of the sixth.
  • LaGravenis notched yet another RBI with an infield single, scoring O'Donnell.
  • With the bases loaded once again, Chris Reeder worked a walk to bring Haynes across home.
• SP Dan Merkel went scoreless through the sixth and handed it over to the bullpen for the last three. He picked up his fourth win of the year behind six innings pitched, five earned runs on seven hits, five walks and five strikeouts.
• Freshman reliever Jack O'Shea came out in the seventh for the Lions and went two innings before passing it along to Alec Schwartz for the last frame. The Lions plated one more run in the top of the ninth before Schwartz sealed the win in the bottom half.

 
STANDOUT LIONS:

• 2B Mike LaGravenis: 3-for-7, 4RBI, 1R, 4SB (Most in a game since 2016)
• 3B Andrew Fernandez: 2-for-5, 2RBI, 1R, 2BB
• CF Michael Schumacher: 3-for-5, 3R
• RP Jack O'Shea: 2.0 IP, 2H, 1K, 1BB

 
UP NEXT:

• TCNJ baseball is back on the road to close out the regular season on Saturday with a doubleheader against Montclair St. The Lions need to sweep the Red Hawks in order to jump into the sixth and final playoff spot with first pitch set for 11:30 AM.