MARCUS WIGGINS TIES SINGLE-SEASON SAVES RECORD FOR NJCU
MAHWAH, NJ…New Jersey City University sophomore centerfielder
ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) is fast, very fast. On Thursday, his speed reached record proportions as he stole three bases, walked four times and scored twice, and sophomore catcher
COREY SCHANEL (East Rutherford, NJ/Becton Regional) went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, including a game-winning triple in the eighth inning, as the Gothic Knights rallied from a 3-1 deficit to defeat Ramapo College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball game at Jeff Maund Field.
With the win for NJCU (15-18, 2-9), the Knights snap a three-game losing streak, all on the road. Ramapo falls below .500 at 15-16 and 3-10 in the NJAC. Each team collected seven hits in the game.
In just 33 games, Sumner has now swiped 35 bags in 39 attempts, and he broke the single-season school record of 34 (of-39) by Carmine Turso in 1995. Additionally, Sumner scored his 42nd run of the year, and is closing in on his own single-season record of 46, achieved in 2005. He has now walked 26 times this season and has 78 total bases.
Schanel was NJCU’s only player with multiple hits as he tied his career high with four ribbies, previously achieved on April 10, 2005 against D’Youville College. Both of his hits were for extra bases, as he added a double with his game-winning triple. Freshman shortstop
ROBERT DELFINO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson County Prep) also scored twice.
Sophomore first baseman Jordan Descafano (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) was Ramapo’s only player with multiple hits, going 2-for-3.
Junior right-hander
ROB MOTACKI (Union, NJ/Union) was again bidding to become the winningest pitcher in NJCU history, but for his fifth consecutive start, did not earn the win. In a no-decision effort, he pitched well, allowing just three earned runs (five total) and five hits with two strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings. He left with his team leading.
Junior right-hander
MILTON RODRIGUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/Marist) evened his record at 3-3 on the season, as he earned the win in relief. In 3.0 innings, he did not allow a run and scattered two singles, walked three and struck out two.
Sophomore right-hander
MARCUS WIGGINS (Jersey City, NJ/Liberty) recorded the final out of the one-run victory to register his third save of the year. In doing so,
Wiggins tied NJCU’s single-season saves record with three, matching
Doug Gincel (1980),
Joe Stevenson (1988)
and
Mike Jannucci (1992).
Sophomore Jesse Bartley (Hazlet, NJ/St. John Vianney) received a no-decision for Ramapo, allowing four earned runs (five total), five hits and five walks with five strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Junior E.J. Sullivan (Livingston, NJ/Livingston) took the loss (0-1) after coughing up the game-winner to Schanel.
NJCU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning as junior first baseman
JAVAN CAMACHO (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) doubled and sophomore leftfielder
MICHAEL McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) drove him in with another double.
Ramapo scored three times in the bottom of the third for a 3-1 lead. An RBI single by freshman second baseman Gino Gallagher (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove) tied the game, and Ramapo went ahead 2-1 on an error, before a sac fly by junior shortstop Gary Miller (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township) made it 3-1.
NJCU tied the game at 3-3 with two runs in the fifth and gained a 5-3 advantage with two more in the sixth. In the fifth, Sumner helped manufacture a run. After walking and stealing two bases in the first inning to tie the record, he walked and stole second in the fifth, to break the single-season mark. He advanced to third on an error and scored on an RBI sacrifice by Schanel. After reaching on an error, DelFino scored on another error to tie game. The Roadrunners had three errors in the game and two in the fifth inning alone.
![<dfn><a href=]()
COREY SCHANEL" src="/images/baseball/2006/4/21/03-21-06%20Corey%20Schanel%204.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>In the sixth,
Sumner walked again and
DelFino reached on a fielder’s choice.
Schanel doubled to right field to drive in two RBIs, and give NJCU a 5-3 lead. However, Ramapo received an RBI double by freshman rightfielder
Mike Stetsko (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) and a RBI single by sophomore leftfielder
Greg Smith (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) and tied the game at 5-5.
Ramapo had a chance to take the lead in the seventh, but Rodriguez pitched out of trouble, stranding two Roadrunners on base.
In the decisive eighth inning, DelFino struck out swinging, but reached first safely when the catcher could not hold onto the ball. That brought up Schanel, who lifted a go-ahead triple to right center for a 6-5 lead. Ramapo left one runner on base in both the eighth and ninth innings, as NJCU’s pitching closed the door on the Roadrunners to preserve the one-run victory.
NJCU will return to action on Friday, April 21 at 3:30 pm when it hosts Kean University at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex in an NJAC contest.
04/20/2006 at Mahwah, NJ
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New Jersey City U... 010 022 010 - 6 7 1 (15-18)
Ramapo College of NJ 003 002 000 - 5 7 3 (15-16)
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WP-M. Rodriguez (3-3) Save-M. Wiggins(3) LP-Sullivan (0-1) T-3:00 A-75
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