Box Score 

WAYNE, N.J. – Fourth-seeded The College of New Jersey (24-16-1) defeated third-seeded William Paterson (24-17), 8-2, to win the 2009 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Baseball Tournament title May 9 at Pioneer Baseball Park.

The College of New Jersey won its eighth NJAC Tournament title, and its fourth in the last five years (1960, 1961, 1981, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009). With the victory, the Lions have earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which begins with regional action May 13-17.

TCNJ was a perfect 4-0 during this year's conference tournament, defeating William Paterson 23-13 April 28, second-seeded Montclair State 11-2 April 30, and MSU 10-1 in 10 innings May 2.

The Lions wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, pushing across a run during the bottom of the first inning. Senior Adam Tussey started the frame with a base hit up the middle, stole second, moved to third on an error by the pitcher, and scored thanks to a double-play ball.

William Paterson tied the game during the top of the third. Junior Marc Palestina (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) matched Tussey's leadoff single up the middle with one of his own, and after an Anthony Dorio (Lyndhurst, N.J./Lyndhurst) sacrifice advanced him to second, senior Will Courter (Roseland, N.J./West Essex) drove him in with a base hit back through the box.

TCNJ surged ahead with a three-run bottom of the third. After a groundout to start the inning, freshman James Ruzich dropped a single inside the right-field line and scored courtesy of a Jeff Toth triple to right-center field. Junior Chris Esperon then followed with a grounder to WP shortstop Dorio, who elected to throw home to get Toth, but his effort was too high and over the head of catcher Don Hays (Paramus, N.J./Paramus). Another groundout moved Esperon to second, and junior Ryan Anzelone sent him home with a base hit to right-center, making it a 4-1 score.

A Mike Galeotafiore single, an Andrew Priece sacrifice and an Anthony Palmiotto RBI-single gave TCNJ a 5-1 advantage after four innings. William Paterson then used three straights hits to start its next at-bat – a Rob Somers (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) single, a Palestina double and a Dorio run-scoring base hit – to cut the Lions' advantage back to three, 5-2.

Galeotafiore took away any doubt about the outcome when he drilled a three-run homer over the fence in left-center field, his fifth round-tripper of the year, to make it an 8-2 score with one out in the eighth.

Galeotafiore led TCNJ with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, including the three-run homer, and scored twice. Priece was also 2-for-3 with a double, and Anzelone went 2-for-4 and drove in a run. Sophomore Sean Stewart improved to 2-1, tossing the complete game and surrendering two runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking a pair.

Palestina was 2-for-3, hit a double and scored a run for the Pioneers, while Courter was 2-for-4 and added a double and a RBI. Senior right-hander Dan VandeVrede (Lincoln Park, N.J./Pequannock Twp.) allowed eight runs (five earned) on 11 hits during 7.1 innings on the mound for the Pioneers (5-4), walking three Lions and striking out one. Freshman J.J. Moran (River Vale, N.J./Pascack Valley) pitched the final 0.2 inning for William Paterson.