Box Score
EWING, NJ – Fourth seeded Rowan University defeated the third seed The College of New Jersey, 6-2 in the opening round of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Thursday.
The double elimination tournament continues at Bears and Eagles Stadium in Newark, NJ on Saturday-Monday, May 3-5. Rowan (29-10) will meet the fifth seed William Paterson University (23-17) in the second round on Saturday at 6 p.m. Also on Saturday, second seeded Montclair State University (23-15) plays the sixth seed Richard Stockton College (22-14) at 10 a.m. and TCNJ (28-9) faces top seeded Kean University (31-9) on Saturday at 2 p.m. In the other first round games on Thursday, William Paterson had an 8-6 victory over Montclair State and Kean topped Richard Stockton, 14-2.
NJAC Pitcher of the Year, left hander Ryan Kulik (sr. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) pitched 8.1 innings, scattering five hits. Kulik (8-2) only allowed one earned run and recorded 11 strikeouts. Right hander Kevin O’Hara (jr. Clayton, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was on the mound for the final 0.2 innings for his seventh save. Lions’ left hander Bob Buskett (sr. Trenton, NJ/Notre Dame) gave up five runs in six innings for the loss.
Second baseman Joe Franceschini (sr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River E.) led the Profs with three hits (four at bats), one RBI and two runs scored. First baseman Tom Ready (jr. Blenheim, NJ/Triton Reg.) added two hits in four trips to the plate, a double and three RBIs. Left fielder Frank Hasenauer (sr. Iselin, NJ/John F. Kennedy) went one for three with one RBI and two runs scored. Center fielder Garrett Mull (jr. Chatsworth, NJ/Lenape) had two hits (five at bats) and one run scored. Third baseman Paul Urbanovich (sr. Rutherford, NJ/St. Peter’s Prep) posted one RBI, while shortstop David Lenig (so. Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville) scored once.
For the Lions, center fielder Dave Mebs (sr. Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) went one for four with one run scored. Third baseman Vince Mazzaccaro (jr. Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) contributed with one hit (four at bats) and one RBI. Shortstop Jeff Toth (jr. Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Mem.) scored one run.
Rowan went ahead 1-0 in the top of the third inning. Franceschini led off with a walk and stole second. Ready singled to left field, plating Franceschini. The Profs led 4-0 after three runs in the fourth. Franceschini singled in Mull and Hasenauer followed with a RBI single, scoring Lenig. Ready’s RBI double to left field drove in Hasenauer. Rowan tacked on one run in the sixth with a RBI single by Urbanovich that scored Franceschini.
The Profs added an insurance run in the eighth. Ready’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Hasenauer who reached base on a walk and moved to third on a passed ball. TCNJ finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom half. Mebs and Toth both came home on errors.
