MONTCLAIR, N.J. - The third-seeded TCNJ baseball team took on second-seeded Rowan in Round 2 of the NJAC Tournament Sunday morning, tying the game twice in its middle stages before ultimately falling 12-7 to the Profs.
Rowan (31-8) took just two at-bats to take the lead in Sunday's game, with a sacrifice fly after Tyler Cannon hit a leadoff triple putting the Profs up 1-0. Rowan doubled its lead later in the inning, but an RBI walk drawn by
Zach Hochheiser that scored
Jack O'Donnell made it 2-1.
The sides traded runs in the second – the Profs' coming on a single from Marco Mannino while the Lions (24-16-1) responded with an RBI double by
Mike LaGravenis – before a three-run burst in the top of the third built Rowan's lead to 6-2.
Jordan Gray, who had struggled to that point in the game, tossed a perfect fourth inning to keep TCNJ within striking distance, and with momentum on their side it was the Lions pouring in four runs in the home half to level things at six.
Fernandez stayed hot at the plate, hitting a leadoff homer to make it a three-run game.
Zach Weiner and O'Donnell then sandwiched a pair of hit-by-pitches around a LaGravenis single to load the bases with no outs, and after an RBI grounder off the bat of Marano scored one, a single back up the middle from
Ryan Goodall cleared the bases and tied the game at 6-6.
A run apiece from both teams made it a 7-7 game through five, but it was Rowan scoring three more in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good. TCNJ had runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the frame, but were unable to convert, allowing two more runs in the ninth en route to the 12-7 loss.
Connor Lamanteer took the loss in Sunday's contest, allowing two of the Profs' three runs in the decisive sixth inning.
STANDOUT LIONS
- LaGravenis: 4-5, 1 R, 1 RBI
- Fernandez: 2-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 R
- Weiner: 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
UP NEXT
- Now in the loser's bracket of the NJAC Tournament, the Lions will take on top-seeded Kean Wednesday, April 7, with first pitch set for 3 p.m.
