UNION, NJ – The Rowan baseball team fell to TCNJ, 7-2, and then dropped a 7-1 decision to Kean in the NJAC Baseball Championship held at Kean University, as the #19 Profs were eliminated in the tournament. Rowan (30-13) is hopeful of continuing its season in the NCAA Regionals, and now awaits the selections to be announced on Monday, May 15.
With his double in the first game,
Phil Sedalis ties the school record for hits in a season (80), matching the totals of John McMullin in 2008 and Mike Rucci in 2005. Sedalis currently leads the nation in the category.
Game 1 – TCNJ 7- Rowan 2
Rowan fell behind in the early innings and couldn't make it up as they managed just six hits and left 13 runners on base.
TCNJ (22-21) wasted no time taking the lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first on three hits and a Profs' error.
Rowan had its opportunities, loading the bases in the second after a pair of walks and a TCNJ error, but starter Jackson Malouf got the Lions out of the inning.
The Lions followed with four in the third, on four hits, including a home run by Justin Marcario and one Rowan error to take a commanding 7-0 lead.
Rowan got on the board in the fifth on a solo home run by
Dylan Maria, his team-high 12th of the season, and in the sixth, the Profs loaded the bases again but couldn't score.
The Profs added one more in the eighth when pinch hitter
Nick Struble singled to right field to score Murphy, who led off the inning with a walk.
Starter
Mike Shannon (4-2) took the loss, going 5.1 innings and Malouf got the win for TCNJ.
Maria was the only Rowan player with multiple hits (2) while
Tyler Cannon hit his nation's best 27th double of the year, while extending his hitting streak to 12 games.
Game 2 – Kean 7 – Rowan 1
The Profs again gave up runs in the top of the first when Kean's Christian Pallone connected on a two-run homer, giving the Cougars a 2-0 lead.
Rowan threatened in the third with two men on, but Kean ended the inning with a double play. The Profs' only run came in the bottom of the ninth after the bases were loaded on singles by
Pat Defeciani and
Chris Curcio and
Luke Bickunas reaching on an error. Cannon drew a walk to allow pinch runner
Liam Sweeney to score before Kean reliever Noah Rivera got the final two outs.
Curcio Schooley, and Defeciani had two hits apiece for Rowan. Starter
Matt Choi (5-1) took the loss in 2.0 innings, with
Jake Reese putting in 5.0 innings of work.
Kean's starter Nolan Rowan went 8.1 innings, striking out eight batters and seeing the Profs leave 11 men on base.
Kean (26-16-1) and TCNJ will now play for the NJAC Championship on Monday, with TCNJ needing just one win to clinch the title.
