Will Epperson's first career hit was a double in the eighth inning against No. 2 TCNJ. |
EWING, N.J. (April 26, 2006) – The College of New Jersey pounded out four home runs en route to its fifth straight victory as the second-ranked Lions rolled to a 14-1 win over the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team on Tuesday at George Ackerman Park in Ewing, N.J. TCNJ improved to 27-4 on the year with the win as the 17th-ranked Ducks fell to 23-7 overall.
Stevens, which had won three straight games before Tuesday, jumped out to an early lead with a run in top of the first inning. Senior pitcher/outfielder Gerard Moreno (Bogota, N.J.) led off with a double to center field. With one out, junior pitcher/infielder Adam Sandt (Allentown, Pa.) ripped a double down the right-field line to score Moreno with the game’s first run.
The Lions responded right away as junior Blake Bullis (Delran, N.J.) drilled a three-run home run to left field with one out in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Andrew Cosgrove (Lebanon, N.J.) led off the second with a solo homer to left to push the lead to 4-1. TCNJ added a run as senior Mike Bruschini (Lawrenceville, N.J.) grounded into a double play with runners at the corners and no outs. Sophomore Bill Kropp (Pottstown, Pa.) scored on the play. Junior Gerard Haran (Old Bridge, N.J.) drilled a two-out home run to left to extend the margin to 6-1 after two innings.
TCNJ put the game out of reach with three more runs in the fourth. Bullis drove in his fourth run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded and one out. Senior Chris Wilson (Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.) came through with a clutch two-out, two-run single later in the frame.
Moreno was 2-for-2 with a double and run scored for the Ducks. Sandt finished 1-for-3 with a double and one run batted in. Freshman infielder Will Epperson (Southington, Conn.) picked up his first career hit with a pinch-hit double in the eighth inning. Junior pitcher/outfielder Eric McCormick (Edison, N.J.) was saddled with the loss as he allowed six hits, six runs and two walks over two innings of work. McCormick fell to 3-2 on the year.
Kropp had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored for the Lions. Bullis was 1-for-3 with a home run, four RBI and a run scored. Haran posted two hits, scored two runs and drove in a pair as well. Senior Charles Iacono (Hamilton, N.J.) went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a stolen base out of the leadoff position. Junior Brian Kraus (Feasterville, Pa.) went five innings for the victory and allowed just six hits and one run. Kraus is now 4-2 overall.
Stevens will continue its stretch of eight games in six days on Wednesday when it takes on Centenary College in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. in Augusta, N.J.
