New Jersey City University Athletics

 

KINGS POINT, NY…Sophomore right fielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) finished a combined 5-for-8, including his ninth multi-hit game of the season, and New Jersey City University split a non-conference doubleheader with United States Merchant Marine Academy, losing game one in the bottom of the seventh inning, 10-9, before staking a 5-2 victory in the nightcap, at Lower Roosevelt Field. NJCU notched five runs in the third inning of game two and grabbed a commanding advantage.

 

The Gothic Knights (8-6) have won six of their last seven games, while USMMA falls to 1-7 overall, and picked up its first win of the season in the opener. Sumner has now batted 9-for-17 (.529) in four games since NJCU returned from Florida. In the nightcap, sophomore right-hander AHSON SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) scattered seven singles and improved to 2-1 on the mound this season with a 1.56 ERA and sophomore righty MARCUS WIGGINS (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) locked up his second save.

 

 

In game one of the doubleheader, NJCU bounced back from a 9-6 deficit by scoring three times in the top of the ninth to tie the game, before the Mariners won the contest in the bottom of the frame. USMMA capitalized on six NJCU errors and won despite only accumulating six hits.

 

Senior centerfielder KEITH NAYLOR (Hamilton, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, including his third homerun of the season. Sumner was 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run, while junior first baseman #JAVAN CAMACHO# (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) belted his first homerun of the season and had three RBIs, while batting 1-for-3. Sophomore second baseman RUBEN BORGES (Union, NJ/Union) (1-for-3) and freshman third baseman ROB DELFINO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) (1-4) each scored twice.

 

Sophomore second baseman Robert Tenenholz (Divide, CO/Woodland Park) had four RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing, while senior shortstop/first baseman Dustin Hoffman (West Milton, PA/Lewisburg Area) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

 

After USMMA pulled in front with four runs, aided by two NJCU errors in the second inning, NJCU seized a 6-4 lead, scoring three times in the third and fourth innings, with each rally started after two outs had been recorded. In the third, Borges laced an RBI double to center field, and scored on a two-run homer by Naylor. In the fourth, DelFino notched a two-run double, and scored on an RBI triple by Sumner.

 

After the Mariners added a single run in the fourth, USMMA again capitalized on two NJCU errors, and grabbed a 9-6 lead, with four runs on one hit in the bottom of the sixth. Tenenholz had a two-out, two-run single during the frame.

 

JAVAN CAMACHO" src="/images/baseball/2006/3/19/05-01-05%20Javan%20Camacho%209.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>With two outs in the top of the seventh, Camacho uncorked a 1-0 pitch to deep left-centerfield for a three-run game-tying homerun. However, NJCU’s sixth error of the game proved costly. Sophomore outfielder Davey May (Lutz, FL/Jesuit) reached on a leadoff error, advanced to second on a groundout, and scored on a game-winning single to left center by Hoffman.

 

Freshman right-hander JOHN MILLER (Fredericksburg, VA/Stafford) pitched well in his first career start, allowing juts two earned runs (six total) and four hits in 5.1 innings, with five strikeouts and two walks, but received a no-decision. Sophomore MIKE ROBERTS (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional), who started the seventh inning, took the hard-luck loss, to fall to 1-1 overall.

 

Despite allowing nine earned runs and 10 hits, with six walks and three strikeouts, USMMA senior right-hander Kellan Lancaster (Bakersfield, CA/Eagle) recorded the victory, while pitching a complete game.

 

                   

In game two, Sumner was the only Gothic Knight to record multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4, to extend MARCUS WIGGINS" src="/images/baseball/2006/3/19/04-13-05%20Marcus%20Wiggins%2011.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>his hitting streak to seven games.  Shahid improved his career record to 6-3, as he allowed just seven singles and two earned runs in six innings of work, fanning three and walking six. Wiggins had a strikeout while pitching a perfect seventh inning, to nail down the save.

                   

NJCU scored all five of its runs in the top of the third after two outs had been recorded, and the Knights, who tallied four of its six hits during the frame, were aided by three Mariner errors.

                   

Sumner led off with his fourth triple of the season and scored on a sacrifice fly by Naylor. After an error, an RBI triple by sophomore first baseman ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), and RBI double by junior shortstop MATT CARAVANO (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) gave the Knights all the offense it would need. Caravano later scored on a throwing error, and sophomore catcher AQEEL SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) supported his brother’s victory with an RBI double.

 

USMMA scored its lone runs in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI singles by Tenenholz and Hoffman. Senior centerfielder Ross Coviello (Cape Coral, FL/Cape Coral) was 2-for-3 in defeat. Junior lefthander Nick Oliva (Seaford, NY/Seaford) took the loss for the Mariners (0-2) after allowing five runs (two earned) and six hits, with four walks and three Ks in four innings of work.

 

NJCU will open its 2006 home schedule on Tuesday, March 21 at 3 p.m. when its returns to action against Lehman College.