HAVERFORD, Pa. - The TCNJ baseball team stayed red hot in its rematch against Haverford Thursday afternoon, eclipsing 20 runs for the second time this season in a 22-9 rout of the Fords.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
The Lions (11-7) jumped on Haverford's (11-6) pitching staff early and never looked back, erupting for 13 runs in the opening three innings of the game – including eight in the third – en route to the dominant win.
 
Gianni Marano struck first with a two-run homer in the first frame, with a three-run shot off the bat of Andrew Fernandez one inning later making it a 5-1 game. Marano poked a single through the right side to score Jack O'Donnell and build the lead to five before TCNJ more than doubled its run total in an eight-run third frame.
 
In an inning in which the Lions batted around the order, Justin Marcario, Ryan Goodall and Tyler Provost all earned free bases to start the rally before a walk drawn by Fernandez scored the first run of the inning. On the ensuing at-bat it was Zach Weiner roping a double down the right field line to score two, with another walk drawn by Mike LaGravenis reloading the bases. An O'Donnell RBI served as the Lions' 10th run of the game before a pair of singles by Zach Hochheiser and Marcario as well as a pair of Haverford errors pushed four more runs across home plate to make it a 14-1 game.
 
With the score 14-3 after the Fords scored a pair of their own in the bottom of the third, both teams traded four runs in another high-scoring fifth inning to give TCNJ an 18-7 lead entering the back half of the game. Haverford made one last push, scoring two more runs in the seventh to cut the lead to nine, but a four-run top of the eighth gave the Lions a new season-high run total and put the game to rest.
 
TCNJ's first four batters earned free trips to first – Tim Search Jr. was the first run of the inning after the sophomore scored on a wild pitch – with an errant throw allowing two more to score to push the Lions over 20 runs for the second time this season. TCNJ's final run of the game came courtesy of an RBI single from Mike Doran that scored Provost.
 
Jack Marchese entered in relief in the ninth inning and, after letting two runners on, forced a double play to secure the 22-9 win on the road.
 
STANDOUT LIONS:

• Marano finished 3-5 with two runs and four RBIs. He also tossed 1.1 perfect innings in relief to secure his second win of the season.
• Fernandez went 2-5 with his second homer of the season, adding three runs and four RBIs.
• Hochhesier hit TCNJ's third homer of the afternoon, finishing 2-4 with two RBIs.
• The Lions' entire batting order showed patience in the win, drawing a season-high 14 walks.

UP NEXT:

• The Lions open their NJAC slate with a doubleheader against William Paterson Saturday, March 29. First pitch of the twin bill is scheduled for 11:30 a.m.