LASSBORO, NJ – Jason O'Neill pitched seven scoreless innings and Dylan Maria drove in two runs and recorded a save as top-seeded Rowan defeated sixth-seeded Stockton, 3-1, in the opening round of the NJAC Baseball Championship, held at the Rowan Baseball Field. The double-elimination tournament moves to Kean on the weekend with the Profs (29-11) facing either Montclair State or William Paterson at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
 
O'Neill (7-1) kept the Ospreys off the board through 7.1 innings, while striking out four and stranding six base runners. With Stockton threatening with runners on first and second in the seventh, O'Neill got the final two outs with a pop up and fly out to right field.
 
Maria had a hand in all three Rowan runs, doubling in the fourth and scoring the game's first run on a single by Jason Morgan.
 
In the sixth, Tyler Cannon hit his 25^th double of the season, a number which ranks second in the nation, and advanced to third on when Anthony Schooley reached on an error. Maria then singled to bring home Cannon and give the the #19 Profs a 2-0 lead.
 
Rowan held that lead until the eighth when it added an insurance run as Cannon reached base on a walk and would eventually score on a single from Maria to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Christian Bascunan entered the game in the eighth and got out of a jam with two Stockton runners on, getting a fly ball to right field and striking out Luke Fabrizzi.
 
Stockton (22-19) threatened again in the ninth and although the Ospreys scored on a sacrifice fly, Maria was able to get the final outs with two men on to preserve the victory.
 
Maria went 3-for-4 in the game with one run and two RBI, with Morgan picking up two hits and driving in one run.
 
The Profs now await the loser of the Montclair State-William Paterson game, which will be played on Friday. Stockton will face Kean on Saturday at noon in an elimination game.