LYNDHURST, N.J. – The Thomas Jefferson University baseball team (12-10, 2-0 CACC) swept Felician (10-17, 3-2 CACC) in its first conference contests of the season on Sunday.
 
GAME ONE – W, 5-4 (12 inn.)
The Rams got on the board with three runs in the first thanks to a bases-clearing double by Chris McLean. The Golden Falcons got one back in the bottom of the inning via an RBI single. Felician then cut the deficit to one (3-2) in the second with an RBI double.
 
The starting pitchers settled in and it remained 3-2 until the sixth, when a groundout by the Golden Falcons brought in the tying run. Both teams had the go-ahead run in scoring position in the seventh but neither scored and the contest went into extra innings.
 
Felician got the winning run into scoring position in both the eighth and ninth but could not walk it off. Jefferson broke through in the 10^th when Gabe Silva tripled in Jay Kalieta with two outs to give the Rams a 4-3 lead. However, the Golden Falcons found a way to even it up, registering an RBI single in the bottom of the frame to tie it at four.
 
The game was finally decided in the 12^th. Kalieta drew a leadoff walk then stole second Jefferson. McLean followed with a base hit to left to put the Rams ahead once again. AJ Lefton retired Felician in order in the bottom of the 12^th to seal the win.
 
Quick Hits
Alex Gonzalez: 2-for-5, SB, R
Jay Kalieta: 1-for-4, 2 BB, 3 R, 2 SB
Chris McLean: 2-for-6, 2B, 4 RBI
Gabe Silva: 2-for-6, 3B, RBI
AJ Lefton: Win, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K
 
GAME TWO – W, 9-8
Jefferson carried the momentum into the nightcap, scoring two quick runs in the opening frame. Chris McLean smacked an RBI double and Gabe Silva followed with a run-scoring base hit. The Golden Falcons blasted a solo homer in the second to make it 2-1.
 
Justin Espinal restored a two-run lead for the Rams with his RBI double with two outs in the fourth. Jefferson broke it open with a five-run fifth. Silva cleared the bases with a double, Joe Cencetti singled in a run, and Diego Santiago plated Cencetti with a double.
 
Felician crushed a two-run home run in the sixth to close to within five (8-3). The Rams added an insurance run in the seventh on Cencetti's RBI base knock and it turned out to be crucial. The Golden Falcons rallied in the bottom of the seventh, drawing three straight bases-loaded walks and hitting a two-run single to close the gap to one (9-8). Jefferson was able to put out the fire and record a strikeout and a groundout to hold on for the victory.
 
Quick Hits
Marquise Wood: 1-for-3, BB, R, SB
Jay Kalieta: 2-for-3, BB, 2 R, SB
Chris McLean: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, R
Gabe Silva: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, 4 RBI, 2 R
Joe Cencetti: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, R
Diego Santiago: 1-for-2, 2B, BB, RBI, R
Justin Espinal: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI
 
UP NEXT
The Rams host Wilmington on Tuesday, March 28^th at 3 p.m. The game will serve as a semifinal for the Bill Giles Invitational.