New Jersey City University Athletics

MAHWAH, NJ…New Jersey City University senior right-hander ANTHONY CACCHIOLA (Union, NJ/Union) took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of game one before losing the bid for history with two outs in the inning, as he led the Gothic Knights to a 10-2 victory over Ramapo College in the opening game of a New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader at Jeff Maund Field. Ramapo received a complete-game 11-strikeout performance from freshman righty Jack McDonough (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) and won the nightcap, 6-4.

 

With the split, NJCU, which snapped a 10-game losing streak in the opener, is 10-24 overall and 2-12 NJAC. Ramapo sees its record stand at 14-17 and 3-10 NJAC.

 

**************GAME 1: New Jersey City University 10, Ramapo College 2**************

Cacchiola pitched 7.2 innings, striking out nine versus six walks, allowing one earned run as he won his second game (2-2). The only hit he allowed was a two-out single to right by junior second baseman David Deredita (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson). NJCU senior second baseman ANDREW DECIBUS (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) leapt to try to pick the ball out of the air.

 

Junior righty STEVE HALLAM (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) pitched the final 1.1 innings, allowing just one hit. It was his 17^th appearance of the year, one shy of matching the single-season record.

 

NJCU knocked out 14 hits and six players had multiple hits, led by junior leftfielder MARK HOYER (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge (CA)) who went 3-for-5 with three RBIs. Shortstop JOSE FULGENCIO (Bronx, NY/San Rafael (Dominican Republic) and junior first baseman JOSE COLON (Brooklyn, NY/LaSalle Academy (NY)) each went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.

 

Senior rightfielder ANTHONY MACKOW (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and one run and freshman third baseman TOM BURKE (Edison, NJ/Immaculata) had two RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing. Sophomore designated hitter ALEX MENA (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic) added a 2-for-4 effort and junior catcher KRISTOPHER BRUS (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) scored twice.

 

Freshman righty Tim Hannes (Allendale, NJ/Northern Highlands) received a no-decision, allowing one run and four hits, with three strikeouts and four walks. Freshman righty Domenick Raimondo (Fairfield, NJ/West Essex) took the loss (4-3), allowing two runs and two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

 

There was no scoring until the fifth inning when RCNJ scored on a wild pitch. NJCU evened it in the top of the sixth on an RBI single by Hoyer before the Roadrunners regained a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the frame when junior designated hitter John Callandrello (Montville, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) had an RBI fielder’s choice.

 

But NJCU broke the game open with six runs in the seventh. Fulgencio tied it with an RBI single before Hoyer added a two-run single for a 4-2 lead. Mena followed with an RBI single and Mackow, who led off the inning with a double, had a two-RBI single in his second at-bat of the inning. NJCU had 11 batters come to the plate during the inning.

 

The Knights added three runs in the ninth as Colon had an RBI single and Burke capped the scoring with a two-run single. Overall, five of NJCU’s 14 hits went for extra bases.

 

**************GAME 2: Ramapo College 6, New Jersey City University 4 **************

McDonough (5-2) fired his third complete-game of the season while recording a career-high 11 strikeouts—two more than his previous best. He allowed nine hits—all singles—with three earned runs and just one walk against over 122 pitches.

 

Senior righty BALDWIN VARGAS (New York, NY/Alfred Smith (NY)) took the loss (0-4), allowing one earned run and just five hits, with one strikeout. Sophomore lefty CHRIS SMITH (Linden, NJ/Rahway) posted five solid innings of relief, allowing just one earned run and four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

 

Senior leftfielder Ryan Paxton (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Regional) was the lone Roadrunner with multiple hits and went 4-for-5.

 

For the Knights, senior leftfielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union) went 3-for-5 with two runs, while Brus finished 2-for-4.

 

Ramapo took a 3-0 lead in the second inning when junior catcher Tim Gaven (Union, NJ/Union) had an RBI groundout. After an NJCU error allowed a second run to cross, Paxton contributed an RBI single for the third run. NJCU drew within 3-1 in the third on a RBI single by Decibus.

 

In the fifth, Ramapo extended its lead to 4-1. Paxton singled, stole second and scored on a fielding error.

 

A sixth-inning RBI groundout by Brus made it 4-2, and a sacrifice fly by Fulgencio in the eighth, which scored Sumner, who had singled, made it a one-run game, 4-3.

 

But Ramapo tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth and that prevented extra innings. RCNJ scored its fifth run on a wild pitch before an RBI single by Deredita made it 6-3. With one out in the ninth, Burke singled and later scored on an RBI single by Sumner, before McDonough fanned Decibus, who represented the tying run, to end the game.

 

NJCU returns to action on Thursday, April 24 at 3:30 p.m. in an NJAC game at Rutgers-Newark. Ramapo visits the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Monday, April 21 at 3:30 p.m.