New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
ARCHIVED GAME BROADCAST: PART 1 | PART 2


JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning trailing 8-4 and had the tying run on second base with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but failed to tie the game as No. 8/9 ranked Kean University survived an upset-bid from the Gothic Knights, 8-7, in the second game of a two-day home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference series played on Friday afternoon at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
NJCU (11-16, 1-7 NJAC) outhit Kean, 15-9, but committed seven errors, and three of those costly mistakes, including two throwing errors on a double steal in the top of the fifth inning led to two extra runs. Kean (21-7, 6-2), ranked No. 8 by D3baseball.com and No. 9 by the American Baseball Coaches Association, has won the last 19 meetings since 2002 against NJCU.
 
Trailing 8-4, NJCU scored three runs on four hits in the eighth before leaving the tying run was left on second. Weinstein led off with an infield single to second, beating the throw down the line. The Knights executed a hit and run and rookie right fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) singled down the left field line, pushing Weinstein to third, before advancing to second himself on the throw. Senior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway)  deposited a two-run single to right center on the first pitch he saw to cut the four-run deficit in half (8-6).
 
Another hit and run was executed perfectly. With the Kean second baseman off balance, trying to get to second to cover a potential Patterson steal, sophomore first baseman MIKE CASIANO (Newark, NJ/North 13^th Street), who came in to play first when Weinstein went to pitch, and only had seven hits all season, slipped the first pitch he saw through the vacated hole at second base and his opposite-field hit put runners on the corners.
 
Freshman utility player JUAN CRUZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)), made his first career start at shortstop and two innings after Kean executed a successful suicide squeeze, NJCU stole a play from the Cougar playbook, as Cruz dropped down a perfect bunt, forcing in Patterson to make it an 8-7 game. The inning ended on a foul out.
 
In the top of the ninth, NJCU stayed alive thanks to its eighth outfield assist of the season. Sophomore first baseman Nick Zucchero (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) walked to lead off, moved to second on a sacrifice and third on an ensuing error. Junior righty WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep), who entered in relief, was unfazed by the error, getting infield popup for the first out. Junior third baseman Nick Ramagli (Emerson, NJ/Emerson) flew out to medium  depth down the right field line and Kean tested the arm of Wagner, sending Zucchero from third. Wagner made Kean pay, throwing a strike to NJCU junior catcher ORLANDO BOLANO (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) to the third base side of home plate, and Bolano applied the tag to Zucchero several feet before home plate.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, senior shortstop Steve Sanguiliano (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central), one of the top closers in the NJAC, moved to the mound. Junior third baseman BRIAN BUSTILLO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) struck out but reached first on a passed ball. With one out, Weinstein hit a soft liner off the back of the pitcher's glove and beat the throw to first to put runners on first and second with one out with an infield single. Bolano struck out swinging on three pitches and with two outs and the tying run on second, Sanguiliano got Wagner to hit into a force play to end the game.
 
Offensively, Weinstein was 3-for-5 with one run and pitched a career-high three innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out one and facing the minimum number of batters (9).
 
Rookie right-hander KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), who entered the game with an NJAC best 1.02 ERA, made his first career start in 12 appearances and took the loss (2-1). In five innings he allowed six earned runs (seven total) and eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Rodriguez was the fifth of five NJCU pitchers utilized, making his team-high 13^th start of the season, and tossed a perfect eighth inning in relief.
 
Junior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) was 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Bustillo, batting in the two spot, was 2-for-5 with two RBIs while leadoff hitting junior second baseman PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) was 2-for-4. Cruz provided two RBIs in a 1-for-3, one-run effort. Bolano threw out three runners attempting to steal in the game.
 
Sanguiliano struck out two and allowed one hit in the bottom of the ninth inning, earning his fifth save of the season. Offensively, he was 1-for-4 and scored twice. He also notched two RBIs on a two-run homer to left field, his third round-tripper of the season, as part of the four-run third inning.
 
Sophomore second baseman Tyler Smarslok (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Liberty) was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and one run while senior catcher Eddie Jennings (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) was 2-for-3 for the second straight game in the series.
 
Freshman righty Charles Thielmann (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway), this week's NJAC Rookie Pitcher of the Week, entered in relief in the fourth inning for senior righty Chris Cirlincione (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township), and earned his second career victory (2-0). In 3.2 innings he allowed three runs and eight hits with two strikeouts and no walks over 50 pitches.
 
Cirlincione, who entered the game with a 4-1 record, got a no decision. Despite leaving with the lead, he only lasted 3.2 innings, allowing three earned runs (four total) and six hits with two strikeouts and one walk over 47 pitches. Sophomore righty Matt Mantione (Cedar Knolls, NJ/Whippany Park), the third of four KU pitchers used, tossed a flawless two-thirds of an inning in relief after NJCU had cut the lead to 8-6.
 
After two scoreless innings, Kean broke through with four runs in the first on three hits. With one out, Smarslok doubled and after a walk, Ramagli singled through the left side before a throwing error pushed two runners into scoring  position. Sophomore center fielder Shane Alvarez (Franklin, NJ/St. Joseph's-Metuchen) had a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead before Sanguiliano slammed an 0-1 pitch over the left field fence for a 4-0 differential.
 
NJCU got three runs back in the bottom of the third on four hits. Patterson singled and stole second before moving to third on a single by sophomore designated hitter ROB ROMAN (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades). Cruz singled through the right side for an RBI to score Patterson. After a sacrifice moved Roman and Cruz into scoring position, Bustillo, who had just four RBIs coming into the game, lined a single up the middle for two RBIs and a 4-3 deficit, before being thrown out at second on a base-running mistake.
 
Kean got a run back in the top of the fourth. Senior right fielder Dylan Laguna (Edison, NJ/Edison) singled but was picked off first base. Sophomore left fielder Joe O'Connor (Wharton, NJ/Morris Hills) walked and Zucchero singled on a hit and run to put runners on the corners. Kean attempted a suicide squeeze but NJCU read the developing play and picked off O'Connor, who had five RBIs in Thursday's meeting between the schools, as DeMauro stepped off the mound, threw to Bustillo at third and then on to Bolano for the tag at the plate. O'Connor left the game after being injured on the play. Zucchero moved to second on the throw before scoring on a two-out single by Smarslok up the middle. He was eventually thrown out at second stealing to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the fourth Bolano doubled to left center and scored on a two-out throwing error by Sanguiliano, making it 5-4.
 
Kean regained a three-run margin the fifth. After two quick outs, Alvarez dropped a bloop double down the right field line and Sanguiliano reached on a throwing error to put runners on the corners. Kean attempted a double steal. Sanguiliano stole second and when junior second baseman PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret)'s throw to the plate hit a sliding Alvarez on the front end of the double steal, Sanguiliano advanced to third on the error. Bolano picked up the loose ball but fired a wild throw into left field, trying to gun down Sanguiliano at third; he came in for the second run of the sequence and a 7-4 lead.
 
In the bottom of fifth, Bustillo singled with one out and advanced to second on a groundout. Weinstein ripped a two-out single through the left side and Bustillo tried to score from second. But a perfect throw by senior left fielder Vinny Galya (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge), who replaced an earlier injured O'Connor, allowed Jennings to tag out Bustillo at the plate to end the threat.
 
Kean added the eventual winning run in the top of the sixth. Galya was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a groundout, stole third and scored on a suicide squeeze by Smarslok, for an 8-4 advantage.
 
NJCU continues NJAC action on Saturday, April 14 at 11:30 a.m. with two nine-inning games against Ramapo College in a doubleheader in Mahwah, NJ. Kean hosts Richard Stockton College at the same time.