Junior shortstop JOSE FULGENCIO (Bronx, NY/San Rafael, Dominican Republic) is the NJCU Men's Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career after posting a huge week, as the Gothic Knights went 4-2 overall, including their first win over perennial national power William Paterson University since 1995.
The nephew of former New York Mets shortstop Rafael Santana batted .478 (11-23) with 12 runs, 12 RBIs, 20 total bases, three doubles and three triples in six games, and was 7-for-8 in stolen base attempts. He had a .571 on-base percentage and .870 slugging rate. He was 13-for-13 in steals on the year before being caught for the first time.
In NJCU 14-6 win over WPU on March 31, he helped NJCU snap a 21-game losing streak against the perennial national powerhouse Pioneers—the Knights’ first against WPU since May 4, 1995. Fulgencio went 3-for-5 with six RBIs, three runs, two triples and a double. In the two games of the doubleheader, Fulgencio combined to go 4-for- 9 with eight RBIs, four runs, three extra base hits and two steals in the two games.
In the 14-6 win, he notched his second game with six or more RBIs this season. He had a double in NJCU’s three-run first inning and added triples in both the second and third innings as the Knights scored five and four runs, respectively in the two frames to open a 12-0 lead.
When NJCU swept a road doubleheader from SUNY-Farmingdale on March 28, he went a combined 4-for-5 with six runs, five stolen bases and two RBIs. In a 14-6 win in game one, Fulgencio was 2-for-2 with four runs, three steals and one RBI. In the 5-2 nightcap victory, Fulgencio finished 2-for-3 with two runs, two steals and one RBI.
In NJCU’s 10-9, come-from-behind victory against Mount Saint Vincent on March 27, he was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and scored the game-winning run after being intentionally walked in the ninth.
On the season, Fulgencio is batting .385 (25-65), starting all 18 games. He is second on the club with 24 RBIs and tied for the lead in runs with 22. Additionally, he had five doubles, three triples and two homeruns, and has been successful on 13 of 14 steals.
