New Jersey City University Athletics

 

 

WILLOWBROOK, NY…New Jersey City University trailed by three and was down to its final out in the top of the seventh inning of game two, but scored three times to force extra innings, and punctuated that comeback with three more tallies in the eighth, as the Gothic Knights rallied to defeat the College of Staten Island, 8-6, in a non-conference baseball game played at Dolphins’ Stadium. CSI won the opening game, 3-2, while limiting NJCU to six hits. NJCU remains .500 on the season at 9-9 overall after the twinbill split. CSI falls to 4-5 on the season.

 

 

In a rivalry that has seen its share of remarkable comebacks in the last two seasons, Saturday was no exception. On May 8, 2005, CSI rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the CUNYAC championship game to edge NJCU, 5-4, when the Knights were an associate member of that conference.

 

Sophomore second baseman RUBEN BORGES (Union, NJ/Union) led the Knights in game two with a 3-for-4 effort, two runs, and two RBIs, to break out of a 4-for-15 slump. Rookie third baseman ROBERT DELFINO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) again came through with timely hitting, finishing with 2-for-5 and two game-winning RBIs. Sophomore rightfielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) and sophomore designated hitter CARLOS SUAREZ (Marlboro, NJ/Marlboro) each went 2-for-4 with one run.

 

CSI only could muster five hits in the nightcap. Freshman centerfielder Anthony Piccirillo (Staten Island/Curtis) was 2-for-4 with two runs, and junior designated hitter/pitcher Mike Liconti (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) was 2-for-3.

 

Trailing 5-2 with two gone in the seventh, a defensive meltdown by the Dolphins gave NJCU life. After sophomore leftfielder MICHAEL McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) reached on an error, and Sumner singled, DelFino reached on another error, and McCormick scored. Senior centerfielder KEITH NAYLOR (Hamilton, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) followed with an RBI single to score Sumner, and when CSI committed a third error after the play, DelFino crossed the plate, sending the game to extra innings, tied at 5-5.

 

CARLOS SUAREZ" src="/images/baseball/2006/3/25/05-01-05%20Carlos%20Suarez%2032.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>In the eighth inning, Suarez led off with a bunt, and scored on a single by Borges. Junior shortstop MATT CARAVANO (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) walked and Sumner received an intentional pass to load the bases. With two outs on the board, DelFino singled to left field, scoring Borges and Caravano for an 8-5 lead.

 

In the bottom of the inning, CSI loaded the bases with one out. In came sophomore right-hander COREY SCHANEL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional), NJCU’s primary starting catcher, who had only thrown two-thirds of an inning in his entire collegiate career. Schanel fanned the first batter he faced, before rookie pinch hitter Michael Madalone (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) was hit by a pitch, making the score, 8-6. With the tying run 180 feet away, and the Dolphins an extra base hit away from winning it, Schanel forced Piccirillo into a groundout to third base, and registered his first career save.

 

CSI gained a 4-0 lead after two innings. Liconti had an RBI single in the first. The Dolphins took advantage of three NJCU errors and scored three runs on just one hit in the second. NJCU shaved the deficit to 4-2 with a pair of runs in the fifth. Borges led off with a mammoth homerun, his first of the season and fifth of his career, before an error led to another NJCU tally. CSI took back one run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly.

 

Junior right-hander MILTON RODRIGUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) earned the win for NJCU to improve to 2-1. In 7.1 innings, he allowed three earned runs (six total) and scattered five singles, with five walks and three strikeouts. He was victimized by five defensive errors. Senior right-hander Pat Smith (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) took the loss (0-2), allowing three earned runs (seven total) and 10 hits with four K’s and one walk in 7.0 innings of work. CSI also committed five errors.

 

 

GEORGE JESSEN" src="/images/baseball/2006/3/25/05-01-05%20George%20Jessen%202.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>In game one, CSI received a solid effort from junior righty Jon Reyes (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s), who improved to 2-2 on the campaign, allowing just two earned runs and six hits, with three strikeouts in a complete-game seven-inning effort. Sophomore left-hander GEORGE JESSEN (Rutherford, NJ/Rutherford), pitched well, allowing eight hits and only one extra-base hit and three earned runs, with a strikeout and three walks, but dropped to 0-2 on the season.

 

Suarez was the only NJCU hitter to collect multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3. Liconti was the only Dolphin with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

 

CSI scored all the offense it would need for Reyes in the bottom of the first with a two-run single to center. The Dolphins scored a single run in the third.

 

NJCU closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the third when Sumner lifted his sixth triple of the season to left center with two outs, and scored on an RBI single by Suarez. The Knights again shaved CSI’s lead to one, 3-2, when Borges singled with two outs in the fourth to score Caravano. Neither team would score again.

 

NJCU returns to action on Sunday, March 26 at 12 p.m. with a home non-conference doubleheader against Baruch College at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. NJCU junior ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union) will be attempting to become NJCU’s all-time career wins leader.