In game one, sophomore right-hander Andrew LeBlanc (Farmington, CT) tossed a complete-game three-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk, scattering three singles.
The Cougars, a member of the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) were aided by senior shortstop Peter Lewis (Gardiner, ME) who had three RBIs on a 2-for-3, one-run day. Freshman right fielder Brian Sullivan (Auburn, MA) added a 3-for-4 effort with three doubles. Senior left fielder Scott Hollingsworth (Tilton, NH) was 2-for-4.
In defeat, senior righty JEFF KARCZEWSKI (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) took the loss (0-1), despite allowing only one earned run (five total) with six hits, four walks and two strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Sophomore righty ALVIN CARRASCO (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) was the third pitcher NJCU used, striking out two batters against one walk in the seventh inning.
NJCU's three hits came off the bats of senior shortstop MICHAEL FIORENTINO (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach), senior center fielder KEN WITTE (Wantage, NJ/High Point Regional) and junior second baseman CHRISTOPHER MIRABILE (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan).
The two starters were embroiled in a scoreless battle heading to the sixth inning. Karczewski held the Cougars in check in the first five innings, stranding two runners on base in the first and third innings. NJCU left two runners on in the second inning. But in the sixth, a leadoff walk followed by a one-out double by Sullivan gave Clark the eventual winning run. After a fly out, Karczewski should have been out of the inning on the next play, behind just 1-0.
But a fly ball was dropped in center field, extending the inning, and scoring Sullivan from second. A single and a walk loaded the bases and Lewis punched a three-run double to center field to extend the lead to 5-0. Another outfield fielding error allowed Clark to score a sixth run. NJCU was retired by LeBlanc 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings. He retired the final eight batters of the game in order.
**********************GAME 2: CLARK 5, NEW JERSEY CITY 4**********************
In game two, junior righty NELSON MALDONADO (Newark, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) struck out six and walked none in a complete-game (six inning) performance, but NJCU committed three errors and all five Clark runs were unearned. The Cougars totaled nine hits in the game.
NJCU, which scored three in the third and one in the fourth for a 4-1 lead, had seven hits in the nightcap, but all were singles. Witte had two RBIs, finishing 1-for-3. Sophomore third baseman BRIAN BUSTILLO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was 2-for-3 with a run and RBI.
Clark junior first baseman Mitchell DeLorenzo (Berlin, CT) was 2-for-3 with a run and junior designated hitter Nicholas Kellogg (Florence, MA) was 2-for-2. Lewis and Sullivan each scored twice.
Cougar rookie righty Jake Sorrentino (Mountain Lakes, NJ/Mountain Lakes) started, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits in 2.1 innings, with three strikeouts. Senior left-hander Phillip Bertocci (Thomaston, ME), the third pitcher used by Clark, earned the win in relief. In 3.0 scoreless innings he did not allow a hit, walking two with one K.
Clark pieced together three singles in the first inning before scoring the game's first run on a two-out passed ball Maldonado stranded the remaining players on base, and two more runners in the second inning. In the second inning, Bustillo and rookie leftfielder ALEX TERAN (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) singled and Mirabile reached on an error, scoring Bustillo for a 1-1 tie. Witte followed with a two-run single up the middle as NJCU grabbed a 3-1 lead.
Each team scored in the fourth inning. In the top of the inning, senior rightfielder JORGE GUTIERREZ (Sewaren, NJ/Hudson Catholic) singled and after another single, Gutierrez scored for a 4-1 lead when Bustillo singled to right with no outs. But NJCU could not add another run and the Cougars pulled with 4-2 in the bottom of the fourth. An earlier muffed throw extended the inning, and Clark knocked in a run on a groundout that should have been the final out of the inning.
Clark went ahead for good in the fifth inning with three more unearned runs Lewis reached on a leadoff throwing error and with one out, a DeLorenzo double put two runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly made it 4-3 with two outs—on what should have been the third out of the frame. With extra life, a single by Sullivan and a Kellogg double pushed in two more runs. NJCU was retired in order in the top of the sixth and stranded a two-out runner on first in the seventh as the Cougars prevailed by a run.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Game 1: Saturday, March 5, 2011 | Auburndale, FL
|
|
Clark University (1-0)
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
9
|
3
|
|
New Jersey City University (0-1)
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
0
|
3
|
2
|
|
WP: Andrew LeBlanc (1-0) LP: Jeff Karczewski (0-1).
|
|
Game 2: Saturday, March 5, 2011 | Auburndale, FL
|
|
New Jersey City University (0-2)
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
7
|
3
|
|
Clark University (2-0)
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
X
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
9
|
1
|
|
WP: Phillip Bertocci (1-0) LP: Nelson Maldonado (0-1).
|
