New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Lehman College took an early 8-1 lead, rebounded in the sixth inning to move in front again, and finally held off a rally in the bottom of the ninth, as the Lightning survived New Jersey City University, 14-13, in a wild and bitterly cold, non-conference baseball game at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.

 

Lehman (3-4) won despite committing seven errors, by collecting 17 total hits. NJCU (8-7), which was playing in its 2006 home opener, and had won six of its last seven games entering the contest, scored in seven of nine innings, but fell just short.

 

In defeat, sophomore leftfielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) extended his hitting streak to eight games, scoring four times, while going 2-for-3 at the plate, with three stolen bases, including two swipes of home plate. Senior centerfielder KEITH NAYLOR (Hamilton, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) was 3-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs.

 

Lehman was led by senior first baseman Steve Bochicchio (Bronx, NY/Salesion), who was 4-for-6 with four RBIs and two runs, and senior catcher Wilmy Dupre (Bronx, NY/Monroe) knocked in four runs, in a 3-for-5 effort.

 

Also for the Lightning, senior centerfielder David Malave (Bronx, NY/St. Raymond) was 3-for-6 with three runs scored and two steals, and also earned the save in relief while pitching the ninth inning.

Freshman left/center fielder Kareem Benjamin (Bronx, NY/Kennedy) scored four times in a 3-for-4 showing. Junior rightfielder Lenny Gonzalez (Bronx, NY/Tuckahoe) (1-for-3, two runs) and senior shortstop Juan Luis Peguero (New York, NY/Dominican) (1-for-5, two runs) each tallied two RBIs.

 

For the Gothic Knights junior shortstop MATT CARAVANO (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) was 2-for-4. Sophomore second baseman RUBEN BORGES (Union, NJ/Union) scored twice, swiped two bases, and went 1-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Sophomore catcher COREY SCHANEL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) also scored twice, and sophomore designated hitter MICHAEL McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) knocked in two RBIs.

 

Lehman jumped ahead early with six runs in the top of the first inning, as 11 batters came to the plate. Bochicchio had a two-run double and Peguero added a two-run single during the inning. Bochicchio followed with a two-run triple in the second inning, as the Lightning held a commanding 8-1 lead.

 

However, NJCU would slowly chip away at the lead, as the Gothic Knight pitching held Lehman off the board in the third, fourth, and fifth innings. After scoring once in the first, twice in the second, and another run in the third, NJCU crossed the plate three times in the fourth to pull within 8-6, as Naylor lifted a two-run single to left, and scored all the way from first base when the ball trickled beyond the Lehman outfielder

 

That comeback looked like it would hold up when NJCU scored four more times in the fifth, to gain a 10-8 lead. A sac fly by Naylor, followed by Sumner swiping home as part of a double steal, put the Knights in front.

 

But Lehman regained a 12-10 margin, when it scored four times in the top of the sixth. Lehman took the lead for good at 11-10 when Dupre lifted a bases-loaded, two-run single to left field.

 

Each team scored single runs in the seventh inning, including an RBI single by Naylor that made the score 13-11 after the Lightning had pulled in front by three runs. Neither team scored in the eighth. NJCU had runners on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the inning, but was picked off third.

Benjamin led off the ninth with a triple to deep center for Lehman and scored what proved to be the winning run on a sac fly by Gonzalez.

 

With one out in the ninth, Sumner and Borges walked in consecutive at-bats. After a second out, the tandem preceded to register their second double-steal of the game, as Sumner crossed the plate with NJCU’s 13^th run. However, with Borges on second, representing the tying run, junior first baseman JAVAN CAMACHO (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) hit a scorching line drive to second base to end the game.

 

NJCU junior ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union) was attempting to become NJCU’s all-time wins leader, but took the loss (1-2), allowing 12 earned runs and 14 hits, one K, two walks, and three hit batters in 5.1 innings. After two NJCU pitchers each fired two-thirds of an inning, McCormick threw well, allowing just one earned run and two hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 2.1 innings.

 

Lehman freshman William Rivera (Bronx, NY/South Bronx) earned the win in relief, allowing just one run (none earned) and two hits with one strikeout and one walk in 3.1 innings of work. Although the ninth inning became interesting, Malave earned the save, allowing one earned run, no hits, with two walks and one K.

 

NJCU is back in action on Wednesday, March 22 at 3 p.m. in a non-conference game against Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ.