The Middlebury baseball team opened its spring trip in Florida on Saturday, falling by a 7-2 score to The College of New Jersey (TCNJ).
 
HIGHLIGHTS

• The contest was a pitcher's duel until the bottom of the fifth inning. The Lions put together a two-out rally, striking for three runs on a trio of hits. Mike LaGravenis ripped a two-run triple down the left-field line, followed by a run-scoring double from Justin Marcario for a 3-0 lead.
• The Panthers cut the deficit to one (3-2) in the top of the sixth. Beau Root singled through the right side and eventually touched home plate on a sacrifice fly from Mitchell Schroeder. Chris Borter doubled to left field, driving in pinch-runner Lucas Cai to bring Middlebury to within one.
• TCNJ responded with two runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Goodall scampered home on a wild pitch after earning a walk, while Jack Haynes roped an RBI single to center for a 5-2 advantage.
• The Lions tallied an unearned run in the seventh as LaGravenis scored on a sac fly by Chris Reeder to make it 6-2.
• TCNJ tacked on another tally in the next frame when Jack Haynes singled up the middle for the final 7-2 score.

NOTES

• Borter was 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of doubles and a run batted in, while Schroeder also had a multi-hit day (2-for-3) with a sac fly.
• Saturday's contest was the first meeting between the two schools in baseball.

The Panthers continue their spring trip in Florida on Sunday with a 10:30 a.m. contest against #2 Endicott.