EWING, N.J.- The No. 21 ranked TCNJ baseball team earned their first sweep of the season on Saturday, defeating Rutgers-Newark by scores of 12-6 and 15-9 in the two victories. It took an all-around team effort in both games as the Lions (16-4, 4-1) took down the Scarlet-Raiders (15-11, 0-6)
 
GAME 1: #21 TCNJ 12, Rutgers-Camden 6
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After two scoreless innings, TCNJ was first to the scoreboard on a Justin Marcario infield single to drive in Mike LaGravenis.
• The Scarlet Raiders tied things up in the top of the fourth on a single to center field.
• In the bottom of the fifth, Andrew Fernandez took the lead back for the Lions on a double to right center, scoring Chris Reeder.
• Rutgers-Newark answered quickly as they scored three runs in the top of the sixth on three hits to take a 4-2 lead.
• In the bottom of the sixth, the Lions put up a crooked number as they scored four runs on three hits, taking a 6-4 lead.
  • Zach Hochheiser led off the inning with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch.
  • After a Jack Haynes walk, Jack O'Donnell plated Hochheiser on a sac-fly to center.
  • Following a single from Zach Weiner. Justin Marcario belted a homer to center, bringing home three more runs for the Blue & Gold.
• SP Ben Amon handed over pitching duties to Mike Silver in the eighth as Amon improved to 3-0 on the season with the win. In his seven innings of work, he gave up four runs on 11 hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.
• In the bottom of the eighth, TCNJ all but sealed the deal with a six-run explosion, extending their lead to eight runs.
  • With the bases loaded and no outs, Marcario struck again for another three RBIs with a bases-clearing double to left center, scoring LaGravenis, Haynes and O'Donnell.
  • A Fernandez double over the center fielder's head was the 100^th hit of his career at TCNJ and, scoring Marcario and Reeder.
  • Hochheiser closed out the scoring for TCNJ on a single to left, scoring Fernandez.
• Silver went the last two innings for the Lions and allowed two runs on four hits with a strikeout to finish up the game-one win.

 
STANDOUT LIONS:

• SS Justin Marcario: 5-for-5, 7RBI, 2R, 1 HR
• 3B Andrew Fernandez: 3-for-4, 3 RBI, 1R, 1BB (Recorded 100^th Career Hit)
• 2B Mike LaGravenis: 3-for-5, 2R

 
 
GAME 2: #21 TCNJ 15, Rutgers-Camden 9
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• TCNJ jumped out to an early lead in the first inning of game two, putting up five runs on four hits and an error.
  • After an error in the field and two hits by pitches, a Fernandez infield single scored LaGravenis and put the Lions on the board.
  • Ryan Goodall followed this up with a sac-fly to center, scoring Marcario.
  • An O'Donnell single to right plated Reeder and Fernandez scored the next batter on a wild pitch.
  • Haynes kept the inning moving with a double down the right field line to score.
• After the Lions put up another pair of runs in the second, Rutgers-Camden got on the board with a four-spot, cutting into the TCNJ lead.
• Reeder got two of those runs back in the bottom half of the third with a no-doubt homer over fence in left field.
• The Scarlet Raiders put together a solid comeback over the next two innings, scoring four runs to bring the score to 9-8 in favor of the Lions.
• TCNJ scored two more runs in the bottom of the seventh and four in the eighth to jump back out to a seven-run lead.
  • A Marcario sac-fly to right drove in Tyler Provost. Michael Doran later scored on a first and third play as the ball got away from the middle infielders.
  • In the eighth, a Goodall sac-fly to center scored Fernandez before LaGravenis drove in Provost and Haynes with a single up the middle. Doran crossed home once again, this time on a wild pitch.
• Jackson Malouf got his second win of the season after his six innings on the bump. He gave up five runs, four of them being earned on eight hits, three walks and seven strikeouts.
• After an inning of relief from Jack O'Shea, Joe Ferreri earned the two-inning save as he entered the game when TCNJ was up three runs. He gave up one run on one hit, a walk and four strikeouts to preserve the win.

 
STANDOUT LIONS:

• CF Jack O'Donnell: 2-for-5, 3RBI, 1R
• LF Jack Haynes: 2-for-3, 1RBI, 1R, 2BB

 
UP NEXT:

• TCNJ baseball is back at George Ackerman Park on Sunday as they host Rutgers-Camden for the second of their two-game set starting at 1:00 PM.