GLASSBORO, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team defeated Rutgers-Camden, 8-3 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Saturday.
 
The second-seeded Profs (31-8) advance to Sunday's championship series against Montclair State University at noon. Rowan needs one win to claim its 15^th NJAC title while the Red Hawks will need to defeat the Profs twice. If necessary, a second game will follow shortly after the completion of the first contest. It was Rutgers-Camden's second loss in the double elimination tournament. The Scarlet Raptors have a 29-11-1 record.
 
Right-hander Dylan Johannink (jr. Medford Lakes, NJ/Shawnee) pitched a complete game for the victory. The NJAC Co-Pitcher of the Year, he (6-0) gave up three runs, scattered nine hits and struck out nine. Lefty Chris Scarlett (so. Galloway, NJ/Holy Spirit) took the loss. He (4-2) went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
 
Second baseman Mark Benak (sr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) had two hits (five at bats), a double, a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. Center fielder Eric Perez (sr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge) went three for three with a double and one RBI. Shortstop Ryan Williams (jr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) went two for five with a home run, two runs scored and drove in two. Third baseman Kevin McMenamin (jr. Maple Shade, NJ/Maple Shade) and first baseman Rich Powelson (jr. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) each knocked in a run. Designated hitter Casey Grimes (jr. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) scored two runs, while right fielder Ryan Pavlik (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) crossed the plate one time. Left fielder Nick Kreiger (jr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) registered a double and scored a run.
 
For Rutgers-Camden, second baseman Joe Sigismondi (so. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) went two for three with two RBIs. Shortstop Tim Holder (fr. Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) had two hits (four at bats), a double and scored one time. Right fielder Adrian Gonzalez (sr. Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) drove in a run, while third baseman Brett Tenuto (so. Audubon, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) and center fielder Bobby Romano (jr. Vineland, NJ/Vineland) each scored one run.
 
Rutgers-Camden opened the scoring with a two-run third inning. Sigismondi hit a single to left field that scored Holder and Romano. Perez cut the score to 2-1 with a RBI double down the left field line in the fourth. The Scarlet Raptors responded in the fifth when Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly to plate Tenuto. The Profs took the lead with four runs in the bottom half. Benak smacked a two-run double down the right field line to tie the score then McMenamin singled in Benak to put Rowan ahead. After Perez walked, Powelson hit an infield single to bring home Grimes. Benak blasted a solo homer in the seventh to make the score 6-3. Williams ended the scoring with a two-run shot in the eighth.
 
The NJAC Baseball Championship Tournament schedule is below. Results and the updated schedule for the conference tournament are available at njacsports.com.
 
Tuesday, April 29 (at higher seeds)
Game 1 - #1 Rutgers-Camden 4, #6 William Paterson University 0
Game 2 - #2 Rowan University 7, #5 The College of New Jersey 6
Game 3 - #4 Kean University 5, #3 Montclair State University 0

Thursday, May 1 (at higher seed)
Game 5 - #3 Montclair State University 9, #1 Rutgers-Camden 6
 
Friday, May 2 (at higher seeds)
Game 4 - #6 William Paterson University 8, #5 The College of New Jersey 3
(TCNJ is eliminated.)
Game 6 - #2 Rowan University 8, #4 Kean University 2
 
Saturday, May 3 (at Rowan University)
Game 7 - #1 Rutgers-Camden 5, #4 Kean University 3
(Kean is eliminated.)
Game 8 - #3 Montclair State University 5, #6 William Paterson University 4
(William Paterson is eliminated.)
Game 9 - #2 Rowan University 8, #1 Rutgers-Camden 3
(Rutgers-Camden is eliminated.)

Sunday, May 4 (at Rowan University)
Game 10 - #3 Montclair State University vs. #2 Rowan University, noon
Game 11 - same as game 10 (if necessary), TBA