New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Rutgers-Newark scored nine times in the ninth inning to break open a 9-7 game, as the Scarlet Raiders defeated New Jersey City University, 18-7, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game on Thursday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. It was the 2008 NJAC Opener for both schools.

 

Newark improves to 8-8 overall and 1-0 in the NJAC with its third straight win while NJCU’s three-game winning streak was snapped as the Knights fall to 7-11 (0-1 NJAC). There were five lead changes in a game that took nearly four hours to play.

 

Trailing 7-5 in the top of the sixth inning, senior first baseman Dan Zika (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) capped an outstanding game by knocking a two-run single through the left side of the infield to put the Raiders in the lead, 8-7 before junior rightfielder Brian Gill (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) added an RBI groundout in the seventh for a 9-7 margin. R-N blew open a tight contest in the ninth when 15 batters came to the plate.

 

Gill had four RBIs, going 1-for-6 with two runs while Zika was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs. Senior leftfielder Doug Ford (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) added three runs and three RBIs in a 2-for-5 showing.

 

Overall the Raiders had five players with multiple hits. Freshman shortstop Patrick Reitemeyer (Kearny, NJ/St. Mary’s (Rutherford)) was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIS, while sophomore third baseman Joe Furnaguera (Springfield, NJ/Jonathan Dayton) added two runs, going 2-for-4. Freshman second baseman Matt Connors (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights) was 2-for-5 with two runs. Connors and junior centerfielder Mike DiMattia (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) combined for five steals.

 

NJCU, which led 4-2 and 7-5, received a 2-for-2 effort with a run and RBI from sophomore designated hitter ALEX MENA (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic), and a 2-for-4 showing with one run and one RBI by sophomore rightfielder LEOMAR PAULINO (Paterson, NJ/Passaic Tech). Senior centerfielder ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) scored twice and now has 95 career hits.

 

Newark initially led 2-0 as Ford tripled home a run in the second inning and scored on a two-out error. NJCU seized a 4-2 margin in the bottom of the inning. Paulino had an RBI single for a 2-1 deficit. With two outs and two on, Mackow laced an RBI single to left to tie it. However, the ball rolled past Ford and all the way to the wall, as the Knights took a 4-2 edge on the three-base error.

 

Newark bounced back in the third with three runs to regain a 5-4 cushion. After a two-out error, the Raiders scored three unearned runs, aided by RBI singles from Furnaguera and Reitemeyer.

 

NJCU rallied with three runs in the fifth for the fourth lead change—a 7-5 margin. The first three Knights walked to open the inning before the tying run came home on a balk. Mena had a sacrifice fly for a 6-5 lead before junior first baseman JOSE COLON (Brooklyn, NY/LaSalle Academy) added an RBI single.

 

But Newark regained control in the top of the sixth and would not trail again. After a double steal put two runners in scoring position, Gill reached on a fielder’s choice, when the throw to the plate was wide, as NJCU missed a chance to put out the lead runner. With two outs and runners on second and third, Zika’s two-run single put Newark ahead, 8-7, before Gill added the seventh inning RBI.

 

Seven different Newark players were credited with RBIs in the ninth inning—two on bases-loaded walked and one on a hit by pitch, before a two-run double by Gill made it 14-7, as the Raiders eventually prevailed 18-7.

 

Newark junior left-hander Robert Falk (Englishtown, NJ/Manalapan), who retired all seven batters he faced in 2.1 innings of relief, was the winner. He did not allow a hit and fanned two for his first decision (1-0).

 

Senior right-hander ANTHONY CACCHIOLA (Union, NJ/Union) left the game with a 7-5 lead and struck out six while allowing only three earned runs, but received a no decision. Overall, NJCU used eight pitchers in the game, but junior righty STEVE HALLAM (Harrison, NJ/Harrison), who allowed the lead run, was charged with the loss (1-3) in 0.2 innings. NJCU pitchers gave up 13 walks; Newark stranded 12 men on base.

 

NJCU returns to action on Friday, March 28 at 3 p.m. with an NJAC game at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. Newark hosts defending national champion Kean University at the same time.