GLASSBORO, NJ – The #11/15 Rowan University baseball team scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to walk off with a 5-4 victory over The College of New Jersey on Thursday afternoon.
With one out in the ninth, pinch runner Eric Sellitto (sr. Medford, NJ/Shawnee) stole second base. He advanced to third on a ground out by left fielder Nick Kreiger (jr. Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan). Right fielder Ryan Pavlik (jr. Blackwood, NJ/Highland Reg.) knocked in Sellitto with a base hit through the right side. Pavlik then stole second. He scored the winning run when shortstop Ryan Williams' (jr. Southampton, NJ/Seneca) ground ball to the second baseman could not be handled.
The Profs have an overall record of 26-7 and they are 11-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Lions are 17-15 with a conference mark of 6-9.
Right-hander Corey Feigenbaum (so. West Orange, NJ/West Orange) picked up the victory. He (1-0) retired the only batter he faced in the top of the ninth. Righty Johnny Dunn (jr. Pitman, NJ/Pitman) started the game and pitched eight innings, allowing four runs, two earned on eight hits. He struck out five batters. Right-handed pitcher Benito Gonzalez (jr. Trenton, NJ/Princeton) took the loss. He (0-2) pitched 1.1 innings out of the bullpen and allowed two runs, one earned and three hits.
Pavlik had two hits (five at bats), a double, two runs scored and one RBI. Designated hitter Casey Grimes (jr. Gibbstown, NJ/Paulsboro) went two for four with a double, drove in two runs and scored once. Center fielder Eric Perez (sr. Fords, NJ/Woodbridge) and first baseman Rich Powelson (jr. Shamong, NJ/Seneca) each recorded two hits. Powelson also had one RBI. Second baseman Mark Benak (sr. South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) had one hit and scored a run.
For TCNJ, shortstop Anthony Cocuzza (jr. Absecon, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) produced two hits in five at bats, a triple and scored twice. Right fielder Patrick Roberts (so. Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) went one for three with a run scored and two RBIs. First baseman Josh Limon (jr. Easthampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Reg.) registered two hits and one RBI.
The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run scoring single by Roberts. They added two unearned runs in the third for a 3-0 advantage. Rowan tied the game in the sixth as Grimes hit a two-run double and Powelson produced a RBI single. TCNJ took a 4-3 lead in the eighth on Limon's RBI double.
Rowan travels to The College of New Jersey on Friday, April 25 at 3:30 p.m.