New Jersey City University Athletics

 

The 2005 baseball season will be a rebirth, of sorts, for New Jersey City University. Gone are nine starters and 17 letter-winners from a club that went 13-21. However, change can be a good thing, and with potentially the greatest recruiting class in school history set to take the diamond, 26 new players will combine with three returnees to create new life for the Gothic Knights.

               

Meanwhile, for the first time since 1958, NJCU will play in a new conference. The Knights will compete in the City University of New York Athletic Conference as an affiliate member in 2005, before returning to the New Jersey Athletic Conference next year.

               

There will be many fresh faces and new opponents when the Gothic Knights take the field for what will be Head Coach Ken Heaton’s 16^th season as NJCU’s skipper.

 

               

Only one pitcher returns from a staff that had question marks before the 2004 campaign began. Senior ace Aaron Grossman (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) graduated after going 6-4. Darlyn Pena (Union City, NJ/Union Hill), who went 5-3 in 2002 before struggling to an 0-6 mark last year, is sitting out the year, before returning as a senior in 2006.

               

Hence, the only returning starter is young ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union), who was perhaps the brightest surprise of any player on the 2004 squad. Now a sophomore, Motacki will assume ace duties for NJCU. He enjoyed a solid rookie campaign, finishing 5-5 with a 6.39 ERA and two complete games over 63.1 innings. He was one win shy of matching the single-season record, and in 11 appearances (10 starts), reeled off 40 strikeouts with only 24 walks. His most notable win was a victory at Montclair State University, the No. 2 team in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings. He has been elected a 2005 co-captain.

               

“Smoke is the best way to describe him,” said Heaton. “Rob baffles hitters by changing speed.”

               

The remainder of the staff will be comprised of newcomers. For the first time in recent memory, NJCU has two talented southpaws on the staff, in freshman lefties GEORGE JESSEN (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford) and JONATHAN LACKINGER (Linden, NJ/Union Catholic).

               

Four rookie right-handers turned in good performances during the non-traditional fall season, and all will vie for starting roles. The group includes THOMAS McCANN (Dunellen, NJ/West Morris Central), JONATHAN OLMO (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson), AHSON SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison), and MARCUS WIGGINS (Jersey City, NJ/Liberty).

In high school, Shahid earned Honorable Mention All-Bergen County Scholastic League honors as a pitcher as a junior in 2003, the same year he threw a no-hitter.

Additionally, late additions PETER HIGGINS (Jersey City, NJ/Colegio Nueva Grenada, Colombia) and STEVE SALAYCIK (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), both rookie right-handers, will have a chance to make an impact.

 

               

“We have a great group of young arms, and the best part of it is that they know how to compete,” Heaton noted. “I think they will adjust very well from the high school game to the college game where you battle pitch to pitch.”

 

               

After a standout four-year career, Steve Stiller (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington), a career .324 hitter (117-361) with 74 RBIs, 59 runs, and 28 extra base hits (18 doubles), graduated in 2004, and that leaves the door open for three first-year players to battle for catching duties.

               

Rookies MICHAEL LUKKO (Hillside, NJ/Roselle Catholic), COREY SCHANEL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional), and AQEEL SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison), the younger brother of Ahson, are all capable of handling the pitching staff for the Knights.

               

“It will come down to offensive production and who is swinging a hot stick,” Heaton admitted. “This is a good problem to have. We will see who steps up during our Florida spring trip.”

               

All three earned accolades for their high school play. Shahid was elected First-Team All-BCSL National and Second-Team All-Essex County at utility as a senior in 2004, and named Honorable Mention All-County and All-BCSL National as a sophomore in 2002. Schanel was selected Second-Team All-BCSL National at catcher in 2004, and was Honorable Mention All-BCSL National as a junior in 2003. Lukko was a Third-Team All-Union County selection last year.

 

               

The entire right side of the infielder graduated following the 2004 season, as second baseman DENIS PEGUERO (Newark, NJ/Queen of Peace) and first baseman WES BATISTA (Passaic, NJ/Passaic) completed their eligibility.

               

Peguero, the second of four members of the 100-hit club to leave, is among the all-time leaders in games (124) and starts (118), and in a four-year career, batted .268 (110-410), with 57 RBIs, 64 runs, and 26 extra base hits (18 doubles). He hit .336 as a senior, with 40 hits.

               

After backing up standout Phil Lospalluto early in his career, Batista started all 34 games as a senior, and collected 31 hits and 22 RBIs. He will slide over and become an assistant coach.

               

The lone returning starter on the team is senior ANTHONY CAIVANO (Lyndhurst, NJ/Queen of Peace), who started all 34 games at shortstop last season, but is also capable of playing third or being the designated hitter. Caivano will serve as a co-captain in 2005. He emerged as an offensive star in 2004, batting .375 (45-120) with 27 runs, 19 RBIs, eight doubles, two triples, and three homeruns, while tallying 66 total bases. He had a 16-game hitting streak during the season.

               

Caivano is a career .320 hitter (78-244), with 51 runs, 42 RBIs, 14 doubles, four triples, and six homeruns, and career .484 slugging and .385 on-base percentages. He enters 2005 ranking eighth in school history in homers, 13th in slugging and 19^th in batting average.

               

While Caivano will certainly be a starter for the Knights at short, third, or designated hitter, around the horn will be a score of new faces vying for playing time.

               

At first base is sophomore JAVAN CAMACHO (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) and freshman TOM CRUDER (Union, NJ/Union).

Camacho will be a freshman on the field, playing his first year of college baseball. He last played ball in 1998 as a high school senior, when he was a First-Team All-City and Second-Team All-Hudson County selection.

               

Cruder is the first freshman named a team co-captain in Heaton’s career. A four-year player for the powerhouse Union High School program, Cruder batted .440 with 25 RBIs and two homeruns as a senior right fielder. When not in the field, expect Cruder to see significant time as NJCU’s designated hitter.

               

“Both have the offensive power to help drive in runs,” Heaton noted. “Defensively, Javan has the edge over Tom, as Tom is trying to make the transition from right field.”

               

Replacing Peguero at second base will be three-time All-Union County selection RUBEN BORGES (Union, NJ/Union), who earned First-Team All-County honors as a senior in 2004, after getting the nod for Second-Team All-County as a sophomore and junior in 2002 and 2003. Heaton describes Borges, who is recovering from a summer shoulder injury, as a smooth fielder who will be exciting to watch defensively.

               

Junior MATT CARAVANO (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic), a transfer from Middlesex County College, is consider to be one of foundation blocks of the infield for the next two seasons. He will challenge Caivano for time at shortstop.

               

Also in the mix is steady and reliable rookie CARLOS SUAREZ (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro), who will find himself in the everyday starting lineup, either at third base or as a backup at shortstop.

               

Additionally, a number of first year players will look for reserve action in the infield. These include MICHAEL PEIN (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus), who is described as a versatile athlete with the ability to play first base or right field. ELFIDO MARTINEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) will also seek time at first.

 

               

The position where NJCU lost the most talent is outfield, as senior left fielder Jonathan Thomas (Newark, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep) and senior center fielder Pat Moore (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) each played out their eligibility.

               

Thomas, a two-time Second-Team All-NJAC pick, who is currently playing in the minor league system of the Kansas City Royals after signing as a free agent, will be remembered as one of the top all-around players in program history. He batted .442 last season (57-129), with 37 runs, 22 walks, and 24 steals in 26 attempts. The third leading hitter in school history at .384 (149-388), he also hit .383 in 2001 and .398 in 2002. Thomas completed his career with 97 runs, 61 RBIs, 47 walks, and 43 steals (43-48), while connecting on 33 extra base hits, including 22 doubles.

               

Moore got consistently better as his career went along, and likely would have been NJCU’s all-time leader in several categories had he played a full four years. In three seasons, he batted .317 (112-353) in 100 games (98 starts) with 78 RBIs, 70 runs, 18 doubles, 14 triples, and four homeruns, along with 22 steals (22-29) and 36 walks. He nearly broke the career triples mark.

               

The lone returning outfielder is sophomore PAUL GEIGER (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) who played in 23 of 34 games (12 starts) as a rookie reserve, with 11 runs and seven RBIs.

               

NJCU has seven newcomers in the outfield, and the collection of exciting talent will strive to be selected by the coaching staff to roam the spacious grass of the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. The coaches have yet to make what will be a difficult decision.

               

Junior transfer KEITH NAYLOR (Sayreville, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) is the only non-freshman among the newcomers, and has been selected as one of four co-captains this season. A transfer from Middlesex County College, Naylor is a very quick player who may possess the most potential.

               

Freshman HENRY ALVAREZ, Jr. (Mine Hill, NJ/Dover) earned First-Team All-Area and Second-Team All-Iron Hills Conference honors as a senior outfielder at Dover in 2004. Rookie KEVIN AVILES (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary’s-Jersey City), was an Honorable Mention All-Hudson County selection.

               

Three other exceptionally talented rookies are ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), MIKE McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ /North Brunswick), and ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union).

               

Mackow comes from a solid baseball program at Bayonne, as does Sumner from Union, who has blazing speed and may be the fastest player on the team. McCormick, a part-time defensive starter on the NJCU men’s soccer team this fall, which won the 2004 ECAC Division III Metro Championship with a 17-7 record, will become the first fall/spring two-team sport men’s athlete at NJCU since Lou Turso played football and baseball in 2000. A solid high school hitter, McCormick also has the ability to help NJCU as a relief pitcher.

               

“Each of these players has their own personality,” Heaton described. “I think this is the biggest question mark for the coaching staff—not the potential of talent but in selecting the right combination and who plays what field.”

               

               

               

As always, NJCU will open the season on a spring trip to Florida, participating in the Gene Cusic Collegiate Classic in Cape Coral and Fort Myers, FL. However, when the Gothic Knights return north, they will vie for the 2005 CUNYAC crown, most notably against two-time champion, The College of Staten Island. NJCU will be one of four affiliate members of the league, joining upstate New York schools Cazenovia College, D’Youville College, and Keuka College. Traditional CUNYAC members Baruch College, City College of New York, John Jay College, and Lehman College will also be on the 16-game league schedule.

               

NJCU will face former NJAC rivals Rutgers University-Newark (twice), and Rutgers University-Camden. Additionally, the Knights will square off with Skyline Conference foes United States Merchant Marine Academy (twice), Stevens Institute of Technology, College of Mount Saint Vincent, and Farmingdale State University, with additional non-conference games against Lincoln University (PA), Drew University, and Polytechnic University. If the weather cooperates, as it rarely does in North Jersey in March and April, NJCU will complete a 40-game schedule.

               

“This is a good year for us, as we will be tested everyday, and with all the new faces, the coaching staff will earn their money trying to put each player in a position to do what helps the team the most,” Heaton projected. “All the pieces are present for a successful year. It will just be a matter of how and when those pieces fit together in the puzzle.”