DAVENPORT, Fla. - The TCNJ baseball team dominated all three phases of the game in its doubleheader against Kalamazoo Friday afternoon, winning Game 1, 9-2 before completing the sweep with an 11-4, Game 2 victory. The Lions – who earned their second doubleheader sweep in four days – combined to score 20 runs on 28 hits in a pair of convincing wins.
 
GAME 1: TCNJ 9, Kalamazoo 2
 
After neither side was able to muster more than a hit in each of the first two innings of Friday's opener, it was TCNJ (9-6) scoring all nine of its runs in the middle innings en route to the 9-2 win.
 
Making his second start of the season, Andrew Woodward got things started in the bottom of the third with a single through the left side. The senior's second hit of the season was immediately followed by a ground rule double off the bat of Mike LaGravenis to put two runners in scoring position.
 
The Lions brought in a run on each of the next two at-bats on RBI singles from Jack O'Donnell and Gianni Marano before a Zach Hochheiser base knock loaded the bases. The Hornets (10-4) finally recorded their first out after striking out Ryan Goodall, but a two-RBI single back up the middle from Tyler Provost on the ensuing at-bat doubled TCNJ's lead to 4-0 after three.
 
Ben Amon continued to work through Kalamazoo's batters on the mound, setting up the Lions to score a trio of runs in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles from Marano, Goodall and Provost to take a 7-0 lead into the fifth. There, it was Marano striking again with his second double of the game – this time bringing in two runs to bring his total in the game up to a season-best four – to give TCNJ a commanding, 9-0 lead.
 
The Hornets avoided the shutout by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the sixth, but that was as close as they would get before Amon added two more strikeouts to his tally in the seventh to secure the Game 1 win.
 
STANDOUT LIONS

• Marano finished 3-4 with two doubles, two runs and four RBIs.
• Provost went 2-4 and tied his season-high with three RBIs.
• LaGravenis, who went 2-3, registered his 150th career hit.
• Amon allowed two runs on seven hits while fanning six in the fifth complete game of his career.

GAME 2: TCNJ 11, Kalamazoo 4
 
Despite what the final score might suggest, it was Kalamazoo jumping out to a 3-0 lead after one in Saturday's second game. A leadoff home run in the second from Goodall – his first of the season – quickly trimmed the deficit before a five-run third frame gave TCNJ the lead for good.
 
Marano was the first to get on in the inning via a walk, with Hochhesier and Justin Marcario loading the bases shortly thereafter. With two outs, Provost stepped to the plate and ripped a single through the right side to score Marano and cut the lead to one. On the next at-bat it was Andrew Fernandez finding a gap in the left side to score two and give TCNJ the lead before Zach Weiner roped a two-RBI double over the left fielder's head to make it a 6-3 ballgame.
 
Jordan Gray retired the next six batters he faced on the mound while on the other end it was Goodall continuing his hot start to Game 2, hitting a two-RBI triple in the fourth to build the lead to five at 8-3.
 
Both sides threatened but were unable to score in the fifth before Goodall and Provost came through in the sixth with an RBI double and single respectively, pushing TCNJ's run total to 10. After a Kalamazoo homer made it a six-run game in the sixth, Woodward struck for the Lions' 11th and final run of the game on an RBI single to score Weiner.
 
Evan Frank entered the game in relief in the bottom of the seventh and struck out two of the three batters he faced in a scoreless frame to clinch the 11-4 victory and series sweep.
 
STANDOUT LIONS

• Goodall finished 3-3 with three runs and a season-high four RBIs. He fell just a single shy of hitting for the cycle.
• Weiner impressed from the nine-hole, going 3-4 with two RBIs.
• Tyler Provost and Andrew Fernandez both went 2-4 with two RBIs and one run apiece.
• Gray earned his first win of the season, allowing four runs on eight hits while striking out three in six innings.

UP NEXT

• The Lions conclude their spring break trip with a matchup against seventh-ranked Denison Saturday, March 22. First pitch for the TCNJ's Florida finale is at 9:30 a.m.