WEEK of: MARCH 17-22, 2009
Sophomore right-hander JEFF KARCZEWSKI (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) is the NJCU Men’s Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career as he continued his brilliant pitching at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. He tossed an eight-strikeout, five-hitter over 7.0 innings to win his second game of the season as NJCU concluded its two-day, three-game weekend series with St. Joseph’s College (Maine)—a three-time NCAA Tournament Qualifier in 2006, 2007 and 2008—by posting the first shutout of the season and winning 3-0 on March 22.
Karczewski improved to 2-2 on the season, allowing just singles and doubles while striking out eight and walking one with a pair of hit batters over 102 pitches. In 28.2 innings this year, he has 25 strikeouts and only eight walks.
Since returning north from the spring trip, the first-year Gothic Knight has made two home starts and in 14.0 innings of work, Karczewski has allowed just one run and 10 hits with 16 strikeouts and one walk.
The Monks left at least one runner on base in every inning except the fourth as the Gothic Knight pitching, led by Karczewski, shut down every scoring chance. In the first inning, there were runners on first and second with two outs, before a groundout was coaxed by Karczewski. In the second inning, SJC had a pair of runners in scoring position before another groundout was coerced by Karczewski. In the fifth, the leadoff batter was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch with no outs before yet again Karczewski forced two more groundouts and a strikeout ended that threat.
In the sixth, a one-out double and a grounder put a runner on third base for the Monks before Karczewski forced a swinging strikeout, and he repeated the performance in the seventh inning after a two-out double, handing a seven-inning, 3-0 lead over to his set-up man and closer, who would shut the door.
