BOX SCORE
WINTER HAVEN, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University had six players notch multiple hits and five generate at least two RBIs as the Gothic Knights scored 11 runs in the first three innings and doubled up the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, 14-7, in a spring baseball game at the Russ Matt College Invitational at Chain of Lakes Park on March 7. NJCU outhit the Bobcats, 17-8, and every starting position player for the Knights had either multiple runs, RBIs, or hits.
NJCU (2-3) was led by senior right fielder JORGE GUTIERREZ (Sewaren, NJ/Hudson Catholic) who was 3-for-5 with three runs, two RBIs and a double and senior shortstop MICHAEL FIORENTINO (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach), who finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and a double. Senior designated hitter JORDAN TETRICK (Delray Beach, FL/Radnor (Pa.)) had three RBIs, finishing 1-for-4 with a homerun.
Also for the Knights, junior second baseman ROB GONZALEZ (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) was 3-for-6 with two runs and one RBI and junior catcher FRANCISCO RAMIREZ (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) added two RBIs, going 2-for-4 with a run. Senior center fielder KEN WITTE (Wantage, NJ/High Point Regional) was 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and sophomore first baseman THOMAS LACIK (Edison, NJ/Bishop George Ahr) was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI.
Freshman left fielder EDDIE THORPE (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) saw his first NCAA action and knocked in two RBIs and scored twice in a 1-for-2 debut. Sophomore third baseman BRIAN BUSTILLO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) scored twice.
The Bobcats (1-4) scored three times in the second and added four more in the fourth inning, shaving NJCU's lead to 11-7. Junior catcher Steve Zerbini (Greensburg, PA) was 1-for-3 with four RBIs after lifting a grand slam to left field in the fourth inning.
UPG sophomore right fielder Steven Anderson (Greensburg, PA) was 2-for-5 with two runs and junior pitcher Bryan Colish (Erie, PA), who ended the game as the designated hitter, was 2-for-5. Senior first baseman Roy Duttine (Pittsburgh, PA) scored twice. UPG stranded 13 runners on base on the loss.
Freshman right-hander MATT DELBERT (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) earned his first collegiate victory in relief (1-0). In 3.1 innings he allowed only two hits and two walks. Sophomore righty MICHAEL KELLY (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) fanned four and walked one without allowing a hit in 2.0 innings to close the game. Freshman righty #T.J. JANHO# (Somerset, NJ/Trinity Christian) started for NJCU, allowing four earned runs and six hits with four strikeouts and five walks in his NCAA debut.
Colish only pitched the first inning for the Bobcats, but allowed three earned runs and one hit, walking two, while being charged with the loss. UPG used five pitchers and only freshman Dillion Buckley (Pittsburgh, PA) did not allow a run. He gave up two hits in the final 2.1 innings.
Tetrick gave NJCU a lead it would not relinquish in the top of the first inning. Gutierrez and Ramirez walked, and with two outs, Tetrick deposited a three-run homerun over the left field fence for a 3-0 advantage. The Knights extended the lead to 6-0 with three more in the second inning as eight men batted. A one-out RBI single by Gonzalez made it 4-0 before Fiorentino followed with a two-run, two-out single.
UPG cut the lead in half with three unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs and two runners on, a dropped fly ball extended the inning and two Bobcats scored. Colish added an RBI single to make it 6-3.
But NJCU put some distance between itself and the Bobcats with five runs on seven hits in the third inning, as 11 players batted. Witte led off with a single, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Lacik. After a single and steal by Bustillo, Thorpe came through with his first collegiate hit—a two-run single that made it 9-3. A bunt single by Gutierrez scored Thorpe before Ramirez capped the inning with an RBI single. NJCU left the bases loaded in the inning.
Zerbini's grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the fourth cut it to 11-7.In the sixth inning, an NJCU error extended the inning and the Bobcats loaded the bases before Delbert forced a groundout to end the threat.
NJCU added three more in the seventh to cap the scoring. A walk, followed by a Gonzalez single and an RBI single by Gutierrez, made it 12-7. Fiorentino and Ramirez each produced runs with sacrifice flies in the inning.
UPG had a single in the seventh inning. Kelly entered the game in relief in the eighth and struck out the side, including a pair of batters swinging. He allowed a lone walk in the ninth before sealing the win on a fly out.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
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Monday, March 7, 2011 | Winter Haven, FL
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New Jersey City University (2-3)
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3
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3
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5
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0
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0
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0
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3
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0
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0
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14
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17
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3
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Penn State University-Altoona (1-4)
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0
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3
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0
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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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7
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8
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3
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