MADISON, N.J. – The TCNJ baseball team secured a weekend series win against FDU-Florham on Sunday, defeating the Devils 9-8 in a high-scoring affair.
 
TCNJ (4-5) opened the scoring in the third inning thanks to a fielding error by the Devils (8-3) which allowed Nate McLaughlin to score. FDU would score three in the bottom of that inning however. Going into the sixth, TCNJ faced a 2-5 deficit.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Jesse Beer came in from the bullpen and retired the first eight batters he faced. That would prove pivotal as TCNJ's bats did all the damage they needed in the seventh and eighth innings. In the seventh, Tyler Provost and Jake Carter had back-to-back singles, and Provost eventually scored after Chris Salmon reached on a fielder's choice. The inning ended with the Lions still down 3-5.
 
The Lions then exploded in the eighth, scoring six runs on five hits. TCNJ had runners on second and third with two outs, and Joe Tammaro hit an RBI single to cut the FDU lead to just one. The next batter, Provost, drew a walk to load the bases. The Devils made a pitching change, but the reliever balked to advance everyone 90 feet and tie up the game at 5-5. Carter then logged his third hit of the game, smacking a double into right field to score two runs. After that, Brian Lovaglio hit a two-run homer over the left-field fence to make the score 9-5 in favor of the Lions.
 
The Devils wouldn't go down easily, however, who put the pressure on Beer and the TCNJ defense in the bottom of the ninth. FDU scored once via an RBI single and had runners on second and third with the tying run at the plate. It looked as though the game would end after FDU's Cody Miller hit a slow grounder to third, but the throw sailed past Provost on first and allowed two runs to score. With the score at 9-8, the next batter hit a routine grounder back to Beer who made the play to end the game.
 
STANDOUT LIONS

• Carter: 3/4, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 BB
• Tammaro: 2/5, 1 RBI, 1 R
• Salmon: 2/4, 1 RBI, 1 BB
• McLaughlin: 2/4, 2 R, 1 BB

 
UP NEXT

• The Lions hope to finally open their home schedule on Wednesday, March 11, against John Jay