BOX SCORE: Game 1
BOX SCORE: Game 2
JERSEY CITY, NJ (www.NJCUGothicKnights.com)...Sophomore designated hitter/catcher FRANCISCO RAMIREZ (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) slammed three homeruns in two games, including two in one inning, and junior right-hander WESTLEY LOPEZ (West New York, NJ/Memorial) tossed a complete-game two-hitter, striking out 13 of the 26 batters he faced, as New Jersey City University swept St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn), 3-0 and 16-3, in a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
Junior third baseman/shortstop MICHAEL FIORENTINO (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach), who had five RBIs in a doubleheader loss yesterday, had a combined six RBIs in the two wins, giving him 18 RBIs through the first 12 games of the season.
With the wins, NJCU improves to 5-7 overall, snapping a four-game skid, while the Bears fell to 2-5. It was the first ever meeting between the schools in baseball.
******************GAME 1: NEW JERSEY CITY 3, ST. JOSEPH's 0 ******************
Lopez posted one of the most dominant performances by an NJCU pitcher in school history in game one while achieving the most strikeouts by a Gothic Knight since Baldwin Vargas had 14 against Rutgers-Camden on April 26, 2008. In a complete-game seven-inning showing, Lopez allowed lone hits in the second and third inning, while notching his second career shutout. He struck out 13—seven swinging and six looking—with one walk, while throwing 92 pitches against 26 batters. The 13 strikeouts exceeded his previous career high of 10 at Baruch College on March 18, 2008, which was the date of his previous shutout. Lopez improved to 2-0 on the year, reducing his ERA to 1.38.
Offensively, NJCU scored single runs in the second, third and fourth innings to support Lopez, and had five hits. Ramirez was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and one run while junior center fielder KEN WITTE (Wantage, NJ/High Point Regional) was 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored. Fiorentino had one RBI. Sophomore second baseman ROB GONZALEZ (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) had his 11-game hitting streak snapped in the contest.
NJCU took a 2-0 lead in the second inning when Ramirez deposited a two-out, 2-2 pitch over the left field fence. It was his first homer as a member of the NJCU roster since transferring from Montclair State University. In the third, Witte tripled with one out and scored on Fiorentino's sac fly. Junior first baseman JORDAN TETRICK (Delray Beach, FL/Radnor (Pa.)) walked to lead off the fourth inning and scored on an RBI single by Ramirez to cap the run support.
In defeat, SJCBK sophomore right-hander Kevin Hernandez (Corona, NY/Newtown) pitched well. In 6.0 innings, he allowed three runs on five hits, with two strikeouts and one walk, falling to 1-1 overall.
******************GAME 2: NEW JERSEY CITY 16, ST. JOSEPH's 3 ******************
NJCU accumulated all 16 runs in the middle innings of game two, scoring three in the second before unloading for an eight-run barrage in the third. NJCU tacked on five more in the fifth, while cranking out 15 hits.
Ramirez was 2-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and two homeruns, finishing the doubleheader 4-for-6 with five RBIs. Fiorentino was 3-for-5 with five RBIs, a run and his second homerun of the season. Witte was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs, finishing the twinbill a combined 5-for-6 with three runs.
In a game where 19 Gothic Knights saw action, junior right fielder JORGE GUTIERREZ (Sewaren, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was 2-for-4 with two runs. Freshman first baseman THOMAS LACIK (Edison, NJ/Bishop George Ahr) made his first career start a memorable one, scoring three times while walking twice in a 1-for-1, one-RBI showing. Freshman left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison) was 1-for-3 with two runs.
Freshman righty WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Jersey City, NJ/County Prep) improved to 2-0 on the mound. In 4.0 innings, he allowed two runs and six hits, walked two and fanned one. Freshman righty ALVIN CARRASCO (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City) threw a 1-2-3 fifth inning. Freshman left-hander PEDRO GARCIA (North Bergen, NJ/St. Joseph of the Palisades) was the fourth NJCU pitcher used and allowed just a lone single in the seventh.
St. Joseph's had nine hits. Sophomore shortstop Joseph Boccia (Westwood, NJ/Westwood) was the lone Bear with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-4 with one run. The Bears used three pitchers. Freshman righty Paul Piccirillo (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) started and took the loss. In 2.1 innings, he allowed six runs and six hits, walking four.
After SJCBK took a 1-0 lead in the second, Gutierrez led off with a double and scored when junior shortstop TOM BURKE (Edison, NJ/Immaculata) tied it with a sac fly. Lacik and Gonzalez each walked, before scoring on a two-run single by Fiorentino for a 3-1 lead. Boccia led off the third with a double and later scored on a single, narrowing the gap to 3-2.
Ramirez, who set a school record with two homeruns in the third inning, led off with a blast to left center and jumpstarted an eight-run, seven-hit frame in which 11 batters came to the plate. Gutierrez singled and scored on a single by Lacik. After Rivera doubled, it was a 6-2 lead. Witte collected an RBI single to score Rivera before Fiorentino lofted a two-run homer to left-center as the Knights surged out to a 9-2 margin. Tetrick walked and that brought up Ramirez, the offensive star of the game, for his second at bat of the inning. Ramirez launched another round-tripper, a two-run shot to left center, as the Knights advantage swelled to 11-2.
In the fourth inning, Gonzalez had an RBI single and Witte contributed a two-run double for a 14-2 cushion. Fiorentino chipped in an RBI single before sophomore DAVE LEININGER (Denville, NJ/Morris Knolls) capped the offensive outburst with an RBI grounder.
NJCU is back in action on Tuesday, March 23 at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts College of Mount Saint Vincent. St. Joseph's visits Rutgers-Camden on March 26.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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GAME 1: Sunday, March 21, 2010 | Jersey City, NJ
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St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) (2-4)
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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0
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-
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-
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0
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2
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0
|
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New Jersey City University (4-7)
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0
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1
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1
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1
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0
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0
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X
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-
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-
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3
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5
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3
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WP: WESTLEY LOPEZ (2-0). LP: Kevin Hernandez (1-1). HR: FRANCISCO RAMIREZ (1)
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GAME 2: Sunday, March 21, 2010 | Jersey City, NJ
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St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) (2-5)
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0
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1
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1
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0
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0
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1
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0
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-
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-
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3
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9
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1
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New Jersey City University (5-7)
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0
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3
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8
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5
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0
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0
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X
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-
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-
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16
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15
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0
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WP: WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (2-0). LP: Paul Piccirillo (1-1).) HR: FRANCISCO RAMIREZ 2 (3), MICHAEL FIORENTINO (2).
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