New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…New Jersey City University sophomore right-hander AHSON SHAHID (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout and struck out a career-high seven batters, as the Gothic Knights capped a non-conference doubleheader sweep of Baruch College, 7-0, Sunday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. In the opening game, the Knights took advantage of six Bearcat errors and scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to steal a 7-6 victory, and set up the doubleheader sweep.

 

With the victory, NJCU improved to 11-9 overall, with its third consecutive victory. Baruch fell to 5-6.

 

 

Shahid (3-1) continues to quietly put together a tremendous pitching career for the Knights, improving to 7-3 in 10 career starts and 13 appearances. He also lowered his 2006 ERA to 1.11 as he scattered two singles, fanned a career-best seven, and walked just two while facing only 29 batters. Only two batters reached as far as second base in the game.

 

For Shahid, it was his third career two-hitter or better. It also marked his 11^th career game of allowing four or less hits and the eighth time he has achieved that in his 10 career starts. Shahid has allowed four hits or less in three of his four starts this season.

 

NJCU got all the offense it would need in the first three frames, scoring twice in the first, once in the second and three more times in the third.

 

Rookie third baseman ROBERT DELFINO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-4 with two runs. Senior centerfielder KEITH NAYLOR (Hamilton, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run, to bring his ribbie total to 22 in 17 games.

 

Also for NJCU, sophomore leftfielder MICHAEL McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick), the winning pitcher in game one, was 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI and sophomore rightfielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) notched his 12^th multiple-hit game of the season and team-leading 27^th run, going 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. After setting a single-season program record with 46 runs in 31 games last year (1.48 per game), he is averaging 1.35 per contest in 2006, and with 20 games remaining, could challenge his own standard.

 

In the first inning, the Knights received the eventual winning runs on a two-RBI single by Naylor. Sumner added an RBI single in the second inning. Junior shortstop MATT CARAVANO (Elizabeth, NJ/Roselle Catholic) and McCormick each tallied RBI singles in the third and sophomore second baseman RUBEN BORGES (Union, NJ/Union) contributed a sacrifice fly and RBI. Junior first baseman JAVAN CAMACHO (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) added an RBI double in the sixth.

 

Baruch junior left-hander Dennis Treulieb (East Meadow, NY/East Meadow) took the loss (0-1), allowing five earned runs (seven total) and 12 hits with three strikeouts and three walks in 6.0 innings.

 

 

In game one, Caravano batted 2-for-3 with one RBI and scored twice, while Borges also had two runs in a 1-for-4 showing. Sophomore rightfielder ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) was 2-for-3. Sophomore catcher COREY SCHANEL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) collected two RBIs for the Knights in a 1-for-3 effort.

 

Freshman third baseman Jose Valentin (Co-op City, NY/DeWitt Clinton) was the lone Bearcat with multiple hits, as he went 2-for-4 with a game-high three RBIs and one run.

 

McCormick earned the win in relief, allowing three earned runs and three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 1.2 innings, to improve to 2-0 this season. Senior righty Mike Etikin (Brooklyn, NY/James Madison) was the loser in relief (0-1), allowing two runs (one earned) and two hits in one inning.

 

Baruch took an early 2-0 lead in the second inning on two Gothic Knight errors, and that margin stood up until NJCU evened the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Sumner had a bases loaded walk in the frame for an RBI and DelFino tied the game on a fielder’s choice. Baruch committed two errors to extend the inning for NJCU.

 

An eventful sixth inning saw Baruch gain a 3-2 edge on a single by senior leftfielder Thomas Russo (Howard Beach, NY/St, Francis Prep). However, the Knights notched three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-3 lead. An RBI single by Borges was followed by a two-run hit up the middle by Schanel.

 

After McCormick fanned two in the seventh with one man on, another single and a walk loaded the bases for Valentin, who lifted a three-run, go-ahead, bases-clearing double to the left center gap, and a 6-5 Baruch lead.

 

But, in the bottom of the seventh, Camacho led off with a single moved to second on a sac bunt by McCormick, and scored on an RBI single by Caravano. On the next play Borges reached on a fielding error by the shortstop, and Caravano came home with the winning run as the Baruch defender threw the ball away for a second error.

 

NJCU junior ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union) was attempting to become NJCU’s all-time career wins leader, but took a no-decision. In 5.1 innings, he allowed one earned run and four hits with four

strikeouts and one walk.

 

NJCU returns to action on Tuesday, March 28 at 3 p.m. in a non-conference home game against College of Mount Saint Vincent.