Box Score Huskies Face #3/#11 Rowan University on Friday
AUBURNDALE, Fla. -- Seniors Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, N.J.) and Matt Curry (Marlton, N.J.) combined for a four-hit shutout Thursday afternoon as The College of New Jersey Lions blanked the #15/#20 University of Southern Maine Huskies, 2-0, in a non-conference game at Lake Myrtle Park.
The win was the fourth straight for the Lions and improved their overall record to 5-2. The Huskies dropped back to .500 at 3-3 overall.
Cirillo, who faced one batter in the ninth inning, allowed just four singles and did not walk a batter while striking out eight to earn his first win of the season. Curry came on after USM junior Devin Warren (Smithfield, Maine/Messalonskee) led off the ninth with a single to get the final three outs, two by strikeout, to get his first save of the campaign.
The Huskies got a solid start from sophomore Ben Lambert (Saco, Maine/Thornton Academy). Lambert survived some early control issues to go 6.2 innings giving up two runs on four hits and five walks. He struck out seven, including the side in the third inning. Sophomore Colton Lawrence (Farmington, Maine/Mt. Blue) came on in the seventh to pitch 1.1 shutout innings.
TCNJ took advantage of Lambert's control issues in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Junior Danny Borup (Plainsboro, N.J.) walked to open the inning and advanced to second on a one-out passed ball. After senior Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, N.Y.) walked, Lambert got the second out with a strikeout. However, junior Tommy McCarthy (Allentown, N.J.) singled through the left side of the infield to score Borup.
The score remained 1-0 until the Lions tacked up an insurance run in the seventh. Sophomore David Cardona (Elizabeth, N.J.) singled with one out and took second on a groundout. Borup came through with a clutch single through the left side to plate Cardona and end Lambert's day. Lawrence came on to get the final out with a strikeout.
The Huskies did not advance a runner past second base in the game as Cirillo retired the side in order in four innings.
USM rookie Jason Komulainen (Gorham, Maine) and Warren had two hits apiece for the Huskies. Komulainen had USM's first hit in the third inning after Cirillo opened the game by retiring the first seven batters. No TCNJ hitter had multiple hits in game.
Southern Maine takes on #3/#11 Rowan University on Friday (5:15 p.m.) at Lake Myrtle Park. TCNJ will play a doubleheader against Suffolk University on Friday (9 a.m.).
-ble-
