New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…New Jersey City University and Manhattanville College combined for 22 runs, 32 hits, and 11 errors, but in the end the Gothic Knights had the bases loaded with one out in the ninth yet failed to score as the Valiants survived for a 12-10 non-conference win over NJCU, Thursday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. There were four leads changes in a game that lasted 3:47. All 17 hits by MVille were singles.

 

Manhattanville (12-7), which already defeated defending national champion Kean University twice this season, and fellow New Jersey Athletic Conference member William Paterson University, improves to 4-0 this season against NJAC teams. The Knights fall to 9-14 overall. NJCU has lost seven games this year by three or fewer runs and five times by two or less.

 

In the bottom of the ninth inning sophomore designated hitter ALEX MENA (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic) walked and with one out, junior designated hitter MARK HOYER (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge (CA)) and sophomore rightfielder LEOMAR PAULINO (Paterson, NJ/Passaic Tech) each singled to load the bases before the Valiants made a pitching change. Sophomore right-hander Matt Nigro (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) came in to face NJCU’s two most dangerous hitters—senior shortstop JOSE FULGENCIO (Bronx, NY/San Rafael (Dominican Republic) and senior leftfielder ROB SUMNER (Union, NJ/Union). Nigro needed nine pitches to end the game, forcing Fulgencio to foul out to first, before striking out Sumner on a 2-2 fastball to seal it and record the save.

 

The loss spoiled a brilliant return to the lineup by freshman third baseman TOM BURKE (Edison, NJ/Immaculata). After missing three games with an injury, he went 4-for-5 with five RBIs, three consecutive doubles, and two runs. Junior first baseman JOSE COLON (Brooklyn, NY/LaSalle Academy (NY)) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two doubles and one run.

 

Also for NJCU, Paulino was 3-for-5 and Hoyer was 2-for-6. Sumner scored three runs and posted two steals, while Fulgencio crossed twice.

 

The Valiants received a similarly strong effort from sophomore leftfielder Paul Blejec (Bronx, NY/Fordham Prep) who was 5-for-5 with four RBIs and two runs, stealing two of his team’s seven bases. Junior centerfielder Stephen Pinto (Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep) was 4-for-6 with two runs and two steals, and played a brilliant defensive game with six putouts.

 

Also for MVille, senior second baseman Thomas Verrengia (Staten Island, NY/Saint Joseph by the Sea) was 2-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs and senior shortstop Dan Needleman (Essex, CT/Valley Regional) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Sophomore rightfielder Jason Monforte (White Plains, NY/Iona Prep) had two RBIs. Sophomore designated hitter Nick Parente (New Rochelle, NY/Archbishop Stepinac) was 2-for-6. Freshman third baseman Alex Braverman (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) walked three times and scored twice.

 

Early it appeared NJCU would blow MVille off the field, scoring five times in the first inning as nine men came to the plate. Hoyer, who reached on a dropped fly, scored on a balk. With Fulgencio and Sumner on base, Burke lifted a two-run double to left and scored when Colon followed with an RBI double to right. Junior catcher KRISTOPHER BRUS (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) added an RBI single and NJCU led 5-0.

 

But two NJCU errors to start the second inning gave MVille five outs to work with as the Valiants tied the game at 5-5. After the first run scored on the second error, Verrengia had a two-out RBI single and Blejec delivered a two-run single to center for a 5-4 deficit. An infield single by Monforte tied the game at 5-5.

 

NJCU responded with two runs in the bottom of the second to regain a 7-5 cushion. Paulino and Fulgencio singled and both scored on a two-out RBI double to left center by Burke.

 

MVille moved in front for the first time in the third inning, 8-7. Verrengia had an RBI single and Blejec drove a two-run single through the left side.

 

NJCU pushed back in front, 9-8 with two runs in the fourth. Sumner reached on an error, stole second, and scored on Burke’s third double of the left, an RBI shot to left field. Colon planted an RBI double down the right field line to bring in Burke.

 

NJCU added its final run in the sixth to take a 10-8 lead. Sumner singled and moved to third on a single by Burke. MVille had Sumner picked off third base, but when Braverman dropped the throw, Sumner raced home.

 

Meanwhile, the Valiants were held off the scoreboard in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings by a combined relief effort of senior right-hander JOSE SOTOMAYOR (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) and freshman left MATT D’AMORE (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick). The duo limited MVille to three hits.

 

Sotomayor went 3.0 innings, fanning three, walking one, and giving up just two hits. In 2.0 inning, D’Amore had a strikeout and walk against one hit.

 

But MVille scored four times in the eighth inning to claim a 12-10 lead it would not relinquish. Pinto led off with a single and the visitors followed with two hits to load the bases with no outs. Monforte reached on an error, scoring two runs and tying the game at 10-10. Needleman laced a two-run single to center for the winning margin before NJCU stranded three in the ninth.

 

In a sloppy game, MVille pitching allowed eight earned runs and NJCU only six. Junior righty Tim Quinn (Holbrook, NY/Saint Anthony’s) pitched 5.0 innings of relief, and despite getting into a ninth-inning jam, won for the Valiants to improve to 3-0. He allowed only one run and four hits, striking out four versus two walks.

 

NJCU junior righty STEVE HERNANDEZ (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) took the loss (0-2), allowing three runs on just one hit in the eighth inning, walking two. Workhorse junior righty STEVE HALLAM (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) pitched the final two-thirds of an inning, making his 14^th appearance of the year to tie six pitchers for third place in single-season history. He only trails Jack Nagurka’s 18 appearances in 1985 and Anthony Principato’s 17 in 1986 on the all-time list.

 

NJCU is back in action, weather permitting, on Friday, April 4 at 3 p.m. with a home NJAC game against Division III champion Kean.