New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BOX SCORE: GAME 1 | GAME 2

MAHWAH, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University led in each end of Saturday's doubleheader before Ramapo College twice erased deficits in the sixth inning as the host Roadrunners swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference twinbill, 11-4 and 5-3, on Saturday at Jeff Maund Field.
 
NJCU (11-18, 1-9 NJAC_ led 4-2 in game one and 2-1 in the nightcap before Ramapo (20-7, 6-4 NJAC) scored five runs in the sixth inning of game one, adding three eighth-inning insurance runs. RCNJ notched three runs in the sixth inning of game two. Ramapo came into the game unranked but has been listed as high as No. 18 nationally by D3baseball.com this season.
In the opener, Ramapo scored five runs in the sixth inning to turn a 4-3 NJCU lead into an 8-4 deficit, then added a trio of insurance runs in the eighth inning. RCNJ outhit NJCU, 14-7.
 
Junior third baseman BRIAN BUSTILLO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was the lone player with multiple hits for NJCU, going 3-for-4. Freshman shortstop MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) was 1-for-4 with one RBI.
 
Five players had multiple hits for the Roadrunners. Junior third baseman Christian Spurr (Warren, NJ/Watchung Hills) was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored while senior first baseman Dan Moreno (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) drove in four runs in a 2-for-4 showing.
 
Junior left fielder Dave Jacob (Vernon, NJ/Vernon) scored four runs in a 2-for-2 performance, and drew three walks including an intentional pass.
 
Senior shortstop Marco Carolla (Landisvulle, NJ/Buena) was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI and sophomore John Capuano (Ramsey, NJ/Ramsey), who entered the game as a pinch hitter before moving to center field, was 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI. Freshman catcher Chris Werr (Pequannock, NJ/Pequannock) was 2-for-4 with a run before being replaced defensively by freshman catcher Dan McEldowney (Park Ridge, NJ/Park Ridge) who had a two-run single in his lone plate appearance.
 
Senior righty Matt Jenisch (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) entered in relief of junior righty Frank Baldini (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) and earned the win. In 4.1 innings, Jenisch allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out four batters over 59 pitches to improve to 4-0. Baldini allowed four runs—two earned—and five hits with four strikeouts and one walk in 4.2 innings.
 
Junior righty WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep) lasted 7.0 innings, striking out seven versus two walks but took the loss (3-4), allowing eight runs and 12 hits.
 
NJCU struck first in the game, scoring single runs in the first and second innings. Junior second baseman PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) led off the game with a single, stole second and scored on a single to center by Martucci. NJCU had three of its seven hits in the first inning.
 
In the second, junior left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison), the reigning NJAC Player of the Week, led off with a single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on an infield RBI groundout by sophomore designated hitter ROB ROMAN (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades).
 
Ramapo tied the game with two runs in the bottom of the third. With one out, Jacob and Carolla singled with one out, and advanced on a balk. An infield groundout by Spurr produced the first RBI before Moreno singled home Carolla with the tying run.
 
NJCU regained a two-run lead with single runs in the fourth and fifth frames. In the fourth, freshman first baseman ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) was hit by a pitch, advanced two bases on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead. In the fifth, junior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) singled with one out, swiped second base and scored when a single to left by Bustillo was bobbled by Jacob to make it 4-2.
 
Ramapo chipped away at the NJCU two-run advantage with a single run in the bottom of the fifth. Jacob singled, stole second and scored on an RBI double to left by Spurr.
 
But the real damage was done in the sixth when Ramapo scored five runs on five hits; all the scoring came with two outs. Werr singled and was sacrificed to second, before advancing to third on a second groundout. Capuano pinch hit and tied the game with a single up the middle. That opened the flood gates for RCNJ. Capuano stole second and NJCU intentionally walked Jacob, perhaps RCNJ's best player, to set up the force. But Carolla singled to left field, scoring Capuano for a 5-4 lead and Spurr knocked in Jacob with an RBI single to center. A two-run double down the left field line by Moreno pushed the seventh and eighth runs across.
 
After NJCU stranded two runners in the top of the eighth, Ramapo added three runs in the bottom of the inning. Capuano singled, Jacob walked on five pitches and after a passed ball pushed the runners into scoring position, Spurr was intentionally walked with one out to set up another force. But Moreno knocked in one run with a sacrifice fly and McEldowney put the game out of reach with a two-run single through the right side.

In the nightcap, Ramapo scored three times in the sixth inning to overcome a 2-1 deficit, and after NJCU scored a single run in the seventh to make it a one-run game, sophomore righty Daniel LaRocca (Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central) retired the final seven batters he faced to earn the save.
 
Four Gothic Knights had multiple hits as Senyszyn, the designated hitter in game two, was 2-for-4 with one run and Martucci, Weinstein and freshman right fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) each went 2-for-4. Bustillo collected two RBIs for NJCU.
 
For RCNJ, Capuano was 2-for-3 and senior right fielder Dan Mauriello (Monroe, NY/Monroe Woodbury) was 2-for-2. Werr had two RBIs in a 1-for-3 showing and junior designated hitter Matthew Hancock (Old Lyme, CT/Xavier) scored twice in a 1-for-3, one-RBI effort. Jacob drew two walks.
 
In defeat (1-5), senior righty NELSON MALDONADO (Newark, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) went the distance, allowing three earned runs (five total) and eight hits with five strikeouts and four walks.
 
Senior lefty Mark Delannoy (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) earned the win (2-1), allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits in 5.2 innings, striking out six versus one walk. LaRocca picked up his second save by allowing just one run and two hits with three strikeouts in the final 3.1 innings.
 
Ramapo took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Hancock drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a single by Mauriello and scored on a failed pickoff attempt and throwing error by Maldonado. It was his first error of the season.
 
NJCU got the runs back, claiming a 2-1 lead in the third. Patterson led off with a walk and Senyszyn singled to put runners on the corners. Bustillo tied the game when his groundout allowed Patterson to score before Senyszyn came around on a throwing error after a single by Martucci.
 
RCNJ was limited to four hits in the first five innings. But in the sixth, Spurr reached on a throwing error, Moreno singled and Hancock doubled down the right field line to tie the game. Werr followed with another double down the right field line to knock in both Moreno and Hancock for two runs and a 4-2 lead.
 
NJCU cut the deficit in half in the seventh. Freshman second baseman JUAN CRUZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) led off with a single, advanced to third on a Senyszyn single and scored on another productive groundout by Bustillo. Senyszyn advanced to third on a two-out balk but was stranded there.
 
In the eighth, LaRocca struck out two NJCU batters and Capuano added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double. LaRocca preserved the win in the ninth with a strikeout and two fly balls (one foul out).
 
NJCU looks to end a four-game losing streak on Tuesday, April 17 when it hosts Baruch College in a non-conference home game at 3:45 p.m. at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.