Ewing, NJ:  The College of New Jersey baseball split a doubleheader with New Jersey Athletic Conference foe Ramapo College. The Roadrunners won the first game 8-4, while TCNJ came back to win the second contest 8-1.

The Lions (25-10/11-7 NJAC) will finish the regular season fifth in the conference, which qualifies them for the post-season tournament. They will visit either Kean University or Rowan University in the opening round of the tourney on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.

Ramapo (29-8/11-6 NJAC) has one final game against Kean tomorrow to determine whether they will earn the three or four seed in the post-season.

Game 1 – Ramapo 8 TCNJ 4

Senior Frank Baldini remained unbeaten as he tossed eight strong innings to lead Ramapo to an 8-4 victory. The right-hander scattered seven hits and struck out three to earn his fourth win of the season. Sophomore Matthew Hancock was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate knocking in three runs in the game.

The Lions jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning. They did so with only one ball leaving the infield. Sophomore Scott Kelly (West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor North) walked and senior Jason Zegarski (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) was hit by a pitch. Junior Jimmy Ruzich (Verona, NJ/Montclair Kimberly Academy) then reached on an infield single to load the bases.

Catcher Mike Galeotafiore (Brick, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) lined a sacrifice fly to center field to put TCNJ on the board. Sophomore Mike Murphy (Staten Island, NY/Staten Island) followed with an RBI ground ball to short before sophomore Nick Cifelli (Ewing, NJ/Ewing) plated the third run of the inning with an infield single.

Ramapo responded with a five-run fifth inning. Dan Mauriello cracked his first home run of the season to right field to close the gap to 3-2. Later in the inning Kevin Knox singled to center to score Pat Driscoll, and with two out, Hancock doubled to left-center to drive in two and give the Roadrunners a 5-3 cushion.

The teams traded runs in the seventh, but Ramapo added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth. Hancock knocked in his third run of the game with a single to right field and Dan Moreno dropped down a suicide squeeze to score Christian Spurr.

TCNJ threatened in the ninth loading the bases, but reliever Matt Jenisch was able to induce a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

Kelly and Galeotafiore had two hits apiece for the Lions, while Murphy drove in two.

Game 2 TCNJ 8 Ramapo 1

Senior Anthony Palmiotto (Manchestser, NJ/Manchester Twp.) blasted a fourth-inning grand slam and freshman Brendan Kelly (Butler, NJ/Butler) notched his first career win downing the Roadrunners 8-1 in the second game.

Kelly put forth a great performance tossing six shutout innings against a potent Ramapo offense. He surrendered just six hits and didn't allow a runner past second base, while striking out five. Kelly has now pitched 10 innings this season without allowing an earned run.

The Lions got on the board with a run in the third. Joe Dispoto (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) singled and advanced to third base on Scott Kelly's double to left-center before racing home on a ground ball to second by Jason Zegarski.

The game opened up quickly when TCNJ loaded the bases in the fourth. Palmiotto took a 3-1 fastball and deposited onto the batting cage in right field for his second round tripper of the season.

The senior center fielder used his legs to score a run in the sixth. He walked stole second, swiped third, and scored on an errant throw.

Freshman Brian O'Connell (N. Passapequa, NY/Plainedge) came on in relief of Kelly in the seventh and pitched well. He was touched for a run in two innings and struck out a batter.

The Lions pushed across a pair of unearned runs in the eighth and Marchitelli pitched a scoreless ninth to seal the win. Kelly and Murphy each had two hits in the victory.

The Roadrunners had 11 hits in the game let by Knox who had three. Joe Somma, Pete Dacenko, and John Capuano each two hits in the game.