New Jersey City University Athletics

BOX SCORE
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WINTER HAVEN, FL…New Jersey City University scored in seven of nine innings, and pounded out 18 hits, including six extra base hits, led by freshman leftfielder ROB GONZALEZ (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) who was 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBIs, and freshman right-handers THOMAS VERMAZEN (San Diego, CA/Point Loma) and NELSON MALDONADO (Newark, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) combined for a six-hitter as the Gothic Knights routed Drew University, 15-2, on Tuesday morning at the Russ Matt/Central Florida College Spring Break Invitational, at Chain of Lakes Park Field #2.

 

With the win, NJCU improves to 5-2-1 on the season and 4-1-1 on its 10-game spring trip. Drew falls to 1-3.

 

While Gonzalez excelled offensively, he was one of five players with multiple RBIs and at least two hits and one of four to score at least four times.

 

Sophomore shortstop TOM BURKE (Edison, NJ/Immaculata) notched three RBIs, going 3-for-6 and senior center fielder #MARK HOYER (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge (CA) posted three runs and two RBIs in a 3-for-6 effort. Freshman first baseman JOE STEINBERGER (San Diego, CA/San Diego) was 2-for-2 with two runs and his first career triple.

 

In his first at bat of the year, junior first baseman DAVID FLEISCHMAN (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) ripped a three-RBI triple. Junior catcher ALEX MENA (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI, sophomore third baseman MICHAEL FIORENTINO (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach) had two RBIs and senior designated hitter JOSE COLON (Brooklyn, NY/LaSalle Academy (NY)) scored twice.

 

Vermazen (1-0) earned his first career victory. In 5.0 innings, he allowed only three hits and one earned run with two strikeouts and two walks over 68 pitches. Maldonado tossed the final 4.0 innings and notched his first career save. He fanned seven, walked one, with no runs and only three hits against.

 

Sophomore second baseman/shortstop Andrew Baxter (Ringoes, NJ/The Hun School) had both Drew RBIs, going 2-for-5. Freshman third baseman Peter Tuchol (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) was 2-for-4. Senior pitcher Zack Bircks (Columbus, NJ/Peddie School) took the loss (0-1). In 5.0 innings, he was charged with four runs and seven hits, struck out five and walked two, throwing 97 pitches.

 

NJCU opened the scoring in the first inning as Gonzalez walked, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Hoyer. The senior captain stole second himself and came home on an RBI double by Fiorentino. The Knights added the eventual winning run in the second when Steinberger had a two-out triple and scored on an infield RBI single by Gonzalez. Vermazen set down the first six Rangers he faced, aided by a nifty sliding catch by Hoyer in left center.

 

Drew scored an unearned run in the third after Tuchol doubled and scored on a Baxter single, making it 3-1. But NJCU, which scored in every inning but the third and fifth, added another run in the fourth inning when Colon, who doubled with one out, scored on a wild pitch. Drew got a run back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single by Baxter for a 4-2 deficit.

 

But NJCU accelerated its onslaught in the top of the sixth, scoring four times as Gonzalez had a two-run RBI single, Hoyer doubled to right for another RBI and Fiorentino added an RBI on a sacrifice bunt, giving Vermazen an 8-2 lead before exiting.

 

In the seventh, Mena had an RBI single to score Burke for a 9-2 lead. The Gothic Knights poured on the offense with three runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

 

With two outs in the eighth, Burke planted a bases-clearing, three-run double into center field. NJCU's top two hitting pitchers, junior STEPHEN MONTALBANO (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop George Ahr) and sophomore JEFF KARCZEWSKI (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West), each pinch-hit in the ninth with one out and each uncorked singles. For Karczewski, it was his first at bat in organized school baseball—collegiate or high school. Gonzalez loaded the bases with another single before Fleischman, who had only one RBI and one extra base hits in 19 games to open his career, launched a three-RBI double to right-center field that nearly left the yard, to account for the 15-2 finale.