MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The TCNJ baseball opened their spring break slate of games with a doubleheader on Saturday evening, falling in both of the seven-inning games against Hobart College.
Game 1: TCNJ 3, Hobart 10
The Lions got the first game of the doubleheader off to a good start, as
Michael Contiliano homered down the right-field line after Jack O'Donnel singled to put his team up 2-0 in the top of the first. Hobart responded in the bottom of the second, tying up the game at two runs apiece.
TCNJ was also held scoreless until the fifth inning where
Nate McLaughlin drove in
Chris Salmon. The Statesmen would do more damage offensively to get the win, scoring three in the fourth, three in the fifth, and two in the sixth.
STANDOUT LIONS
- O'Donnell: 2-3, 1 R
- Contiliano: 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
Game 2: TCNJ 3, 7
TCNJ starter
Jalen Maharaja started the second game well, pitching two shutout innings. But it was Hobart who struck first in the second game, doing so with a four-run third inning. After the Statesmen scored those four runs,
Austin Hanni came on in relief and got the final out of the inning and also retired the side in the next inning. The Lions fought back in the bottom of the fourth, where
Tyler Provost and
Jake Carter reached on back-to-back singles before
Tim Search Jr. cut the deficit in half with two-run double down the third-base line.
In fifth inning, Hobart put reliever
Cole Haskew in a tough spot by loading the bases with nobody out. The Statesmen scored once before
Bodhi Lettieri — making just his second collegiate pitching appearance — replaced Haskew on the mound and helped the Lions mitigate the damage. TCNJ would not be able to cut the lead down any further, however, and the contest ended 7-3 in favor of Hobart.
STANDOUT LIONS
- Hanni: 1.1 IP, 0 hits allowed, 0 ER
- Lettieri: 2.2 IP, 1 hit allowed, 1 ER, 2 Ks
- O'Donnell: 2-2, 1 R, 2 BB
- Provost: 2-4, 1 R
UP NEXT
- TCNJ looks ahead to a 1:00 PM contest against Ithaca College on day two of their spring break schedule in Myrtle Beach.
