New Jersey City University Athletics

 

 

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Sophomore right-handed pitcher ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union) became the first pitcher since 1991 and the fourth in school history to hurl a no-hitter, and tied the single-season record for victories with his sixth, as New Jersey City University clinched the No. 1 seed in this weekend's City University of New York Athletic Conference Tournament with a 2-1 victory over Baruch College on Tuesday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. NJCU was the road team in the doubleheader.

               

In game two, freshman righty AHSON SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) allowed a lone first-inning hit and settled down to fire a one-hit gem, as NJCU silenced Baruch, 3-0.

               

NJCU, winners of eight of nine, improved to 18-12 overall and 11-3 in the CUNYAC, and clinched the 2005 CUNYAC regular season championship in its only year as an affiliate member of the league. It is NJCU’s first regular season baseball championship since then-Jersey City State College captured the New Jersey Athletic Conference title in 1962.

               

NJCU improved to 18-1 this season when leading after six innings and 11-0 on its home field. In three of its last four games, NJCU's pitching staff is responsible for a two-hitter, a no-hitter, and a one hitter.

ROB SUMNER" src="/images/baseball/2005/5/4/04-13-05%20Rob%20Sumner%2012.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>               

Baruch fell to 10-13 and 8-8 in the CUNYAC. The Bearcats needed to win one of the two games to earn the final seed in the conference tournament, but were eliminated from contention.

               

NJCU also guaranteed its first winning season since finishing 19-15-3 in 1995, which was the last year the Gothic Knights earned a berth in a conference post-season tournament. NJCU is one win shy of matching the single-season record for victories of 19 shared by the 1995 and 1986 clubs.

               

Meanwhile, freshman center fielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) scored his 42nd run of the season in the first inning of game one for NJCU, and eclipsed the single-season runs record of 41 established by Sean Costello in 1986. Freshman third baseman CARLOS SUAREZ (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) notched a hit in each game, and extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

********************GAME 1********************

               

In game one, which took just 77 minutes, Motacki (6-1), a three-time CUNYAC Pitcher of the Week, tossed the first no-hitter in 15 seasons at NJCU, since Jack Ryan pulled the trick against Hunter College in a 28-0 win on April 28, 1991. The first no-hitter in school history, also against Baruch, was a combined effort by Andy Ortiz and Guy Ritt in a 16-0 win on April 29, 1982, before Matt Baker fired a 5-0 no-hitter just four days later against NJIT on May 03, 1982. It is the second time a no-hitter at NJCU has come on May 3, and all four no-no's have come in the final week of the regular season.

               

Motacki struck out eight, walked one, and allowed a lone unearned run after the first batter of the game reached on an error. He retired the final 13 batters of the game, struck out the side in the sixth inning, and faced the minimum number of batters in every inning except the first. The sophomore, who won five times as a freshman, now has 11 victories in 19 career starts, and is one shy of matching the career record of 12 shared by four pitchers. Meanwhile, he tied the single-season record for victories with six, currently shared by Aaron Grossman (2004), Brian Moody (1997), Anthony Principato (1988), and Alberto Cajide (1975).

               

CARLOS SUAREZ" src="/images/baseball/2005/5/4/04-13-05%20Carlos%20Suarez%2015.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Baruch countered with junior left-hander Tristan Cetto (Bellmore, NY/W.C. Mepham) who held the Gothic Knights, ranked fifth in the country in runs per game at 10.3, to just three runs. Cetto pitched his fourth consecutive complete game, fanned six, walked none, and retired the final 13 batters of the game. In all, he allowed one earned run and five hits.

               

NJCU scored both its runs in the top of the first two innings. Sumner led off the game with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a single, and scored on a fielder’s choice groundout and RBI by senior shortstop ANTHONY CAIVANO (Lyndhurst, NJ/Queen of Peace).

               

Baruch junior center fielder Ray Mowatt (Bronx, NY/LaGuardia) reached on a throwing error to lead off the bottom of the first, then stole second and third, making him a perfect 26-for-26 in steals this season, and 37-for-37 since 2004. He tied the game on a fielder’s choice.

               

NJCU scored the decisive run in the second as freshman left fielder MIKE McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) reached on an error, advanced to second, and scored the unearned go-ahead run on a RBI single by freshman right fielder ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne). No NJCU player had more than one hit, mustering five in all.

********************GAME 2********************

               

AHSON SHAHID" src="/images/baseball/2005/2/28/2005-Ahson%20Shahid.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Game two lasted only 1:37, particularly because of the dominance of Shahid (4-2), who struck out four, walked one and allowed a lone lead-off single in the second inning. He faced the minimum in every inning except the fourth, and retired the final 11 batters he faced in order. It was Shahid’s first career one-hitter, after previously hurling two two-hitters and three four-hitters this season. He had a no-hitter in high school.

               

NJCU was again limited to five hits in game two and no player had more than one, as the Knights won by scoring single runs in the third, sixth, and seventh innings. After Suarez singled to left field in the third, the winning run was manufactured with two outs as Sumner knocked a RBI single to second base.

               

In the sixth, McCormick singled, stole second, and would have scored on Caivano’s double, but had to hold up because the ball was nearly caught. However, he came around on an error on the relay. Mackow tripled to lead off the third before scoring the final run.

               

Junior right Mike Etkin (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) pitched well, but fell to 2-4, allowing two earned runs, and five hits, with six strikeouts and one walk in a complete-game outing.

               

NJCU will be the No. 1 seed in the 2005 CUNYAC Tournament on Saturday, May 7 in Binghamton, NY. The Knights will face #4 seeded John Jay at 11 am in the semifinals of the single-elimination tournament. NJCU swept John Jay, 13-0 and 5-3 on May 1.

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