UNION, NJ – The Rowan University baseball team scored the first three runs of the game and made it stand in a 3-2 victory over Ramapo College in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Friday.

The fourth-seeded Profs (31-8) are 2-0 in the double elimination tournament. They will play either The College of New Jersey (28-8) or Ramapo (30-12) on Saturday, May 5 at 7 p.m. The top-seeded Lions and second-seeded Roadrunners face each other in an elimination game on Saturday at noon.

Right-hander Andrew DiPiazza (jr. Bayville, NJ/Central Reg.) tossed 6.1 innings to earn the win (7-1). He allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out eight batters. Righty Jordan Friedman (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill E.) threw the final 2.2 innings for his fourth save. He gave up just two hits. Right-hander Cory Heitler (jr. Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) suffered the loss (8-2). He conceded three runs and seven hits with six strikeouts.

Third baseman Dillon Mendel (jr. Sparta, NJ/Sparta) went two-for-four with a double and one run. Designated hitter Shawn Leydon (sr. Succasunna, NJ/Roxbury) tallied two hits (three at bats) with one double. Left fielder Monny Strickland (sr. Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) blasted a two-run home run. First baseman Anthony Harrold (jr. Woodbury, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) had one RBI and scored one time.

For Ramapo, third baseman Vincenzo Sita (jr. Bayonne, NJ/St. Peter's Prep) was two-for-four with one run. Shortstop Austin Unglaub (sr. Sparta, NJ/Sparta) totaled two hits. Catcher Liam Duffy (jr. Cranford, NJ/Cranford) knocked in one run. Designated hitter Kyle Buser (so. Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey) crossed the plate one time.

Rowan got started early with a run in the first. Mendel doubled to left center with one out. He went to third on a groundout and scored on Harrold's base hit up the middle. The Profs added two more in the fourth. Harrold led off with a walk and Strickland followed with a two-run shot to left field.

Meanwhile, DiPiazza was cruising on the mound. After allowing a leadoff single in the second, he proceeded to retire nine straight batters and 15 of 17 to get through six innings. The Roadrunners finally broke through with two runs in the seventh. Sita singled to right field with one out. Buser had a base hit to right center then Duffy hit a two-run single to the same spot to make it a one-run game. Friedman came on in relief and sat down two of the next three hitters to end the frame.

In the eighth, Ramapo had runners at second and third with two outs. Friedman was able to induce a groundout to end the threat. The Roadrunners put the tying run on again in the ninth after Buser was hit by a pitch. Friedman recorded a strikeout and then forced a double play groundout to seal the victory.

The schedule for the remainder of the NJAC Championship Tournament at Kean University is below.

Saturday, May 5

Game 7: (A) #1 TCNJ vs. (H) #2 Ramapo, noon

Game 8: (A) #5 Kean vs. (H) #3 Rutgers-Camden, 3:30 p.m.

Game 9: (H) #4 Rowan vs. Winner of Game 7, 7 p.m.

IF TWO TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 9:

Sunday, May 6

Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Winner Game 9, noon

Game 11: If needed, same teams as Game 10, TBA

IF THREE TEAMS REMAIN AFTER GAME 9:

Sunday, May 6

Game 10: Winner Game 8 vs. Loser Game 9, noon

Game 11: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10, 4 p.m.