Box Score WINTER HAVEN, Fla.--Senior co-captain Steve Ambrosino and sophomore Scott Hubener each rapped three hits, but Western New England's rally in the top of ninth inning fell short on Friday in a 7-4 loss to the College of New Jersey in the Golden Bears' opener at the RussMatt Central Florida Baseball Invitational at Chain of Lakes Park. The Golden Bears fall to 1-2 on the season while the Lions up their record to 4-3.

Sophomore Chris Casey went 2-for-5 to contribute to WNE's 13-hit attack. The top six batters--including Ambrosino, Casey and Hubener--in the lineup accounted for the team's 13 hits.

Anthony Cocuzza went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in to pace the TCNJ offense, which produced 14 hits. Garen Turner went 2-for-5 with three RBI, while John Rizzi, Joe Dispoto and Benjamin Varone added two hits apiece.

Defense let the Golden Bears down this afternoon as three errors led to four of TCNJ's seven runs being unearned. Already leading 3-0 after one inning, the Lions tacked on three more runs after a grounder was misplayed with two outs.

Both teams left 12 runners on base.

Sophomore Connor Hayes put the Golden Bears on the scoreboard in the fourth inning with a RBI-single to left field, bringing home Ambrosino from third base after he led off with a single.

Western New England got another run back in the next frame when junior Steve Buckley had a RBI-single to left. Through three games this season, Buckley leads the team with six RBI.

Trailing 7-2 in the ninth, Western New England made things interesting. The Golden Bears loaded the bases with one out, as Buckley got a sacrifice fly to plate Kevin Marciano to make it 7-3. Junior transfer Matt Anziano, the next batter, had a RBI-single to right center field to close the deficit to three runs.

Fifth-year senior starting pitcher Mike Lospinuso (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs (3 earned) on 13 hits and three walks over seven innings. Freshman Matt Thomas got two strikeouts and allowed an unearned run in the eighth.

In the sixth, TCNJ was threatening to increase its 6-2 lead but Lospinuso was able to induce an inning-ending double-play with the bases loaded to keep the Lions from doing further damage.

Brendan Kelly (1-1) got the win working seven innings, scattering nine hits and two runs along with a walk and hitbatsmen. He struck out six Golden Bears.

Western New England returns to Invitational action at 2 p.m. Saturday against Bowdoin at Lake Bonny Park in Lakeland, Fla.