EWING, N.J. (April 21, 2009) – Sophomore pitcher Dan Anunziatta went six and one-third innings pitched, did not render an earned run and allowed just four hits as the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team was held to five hits on the day in its 4-0 loss to the College of New Jersey Tuesday evening in Ewing, N.J. Freshman pitcher Mike Fallon (Edison, N.J.) threw 7.1 innings for the Lions, gave up just five hits in 31 batters faced to earn his first collegiate win. Senior first baseman Dan Silva and junior right fielder Russ Grimes were responsible for four of the five hits produced by the Ducks as they each tallied two on the day. With the loss, Stevens drops to 12-17, while TCNJ improves to 20-13-1 overall.

Anunziatta held the Lions scoreless entering the sixth. TCNJ broke through in the bottom of the sixth as freshman infielder James Ruzich (Verona, N.J.) walked followed by a base hit off the bat of senior third baseman Vince Mazzacarro (Gloucester, N.J.) base hit to right-center. It was then junior outfielder Chris Esperon (Union, N.J.) who laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third before junior infielder Ryan Anzelone (Vernon, N.J.) reached on an error to load the bases. The Lions called upon sophomore second baseman Gary Fare (Milltown, N.J.) to pitch-hit as he ended the deadlock by plating Ruzich off a fielder's choice. The Ducks then mishandled a pick-off allowing Mazzacarro to score extending the Lions lead to 2-0.

Stevens threatened to score in the top of the seventh when freshman second baseman Tom Phillips was hit by a pitch and Grimes followed it up with a single to left field with one out. Sophomore pitcher Joe Marchitelli (Jackson, N.J.) entered the game from the bullpen with one out and induced the first batter he faced to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

The Lions added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning on an RBI single from junior outfielder Jared Tramultola (Jackson, N.J.) and a run-scoring double off the bat of junior catcher Matt Baumann (Old Bridge, N.J.).

Besides Grimes and Silva manufacturing hits for Stevens, the only other hit was produced by freshman T.J. Alcorn. Sophomore pitcher Kyle Hanas came in during the seventh and finished out the game on 1.2 innings pitched. He allowed five hits and posted two earned runs. Anunziatta was tagged with the loss, his first of the season (2-1).

Stevens will return to action tomorrow when the Ducks head to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take on Vassar College at 4 p.m.