New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BOX SCORE: GAME 1 | GAME 2
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES
ARCHIVED GAME BROADCASTS: GAME 1 (PART 1 | PART 2) | GAME 2

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University and Rutgers University-Camden played two New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball games on Saturday with two very different results. In game one, NJCU scored 10 runs in the fifth inning and posted its largest margin of victory in a conference game in 21 years, obliterating the Scarlet Raptors, 18-0 as the Gothic Knights collected 18 hits and junior right-hander WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep) tossed his first career complete-game shutout. But as often happens after a lopsided win, NJCU used all of its offense in the opening game and was limited to just three hits in the nightcap as Camden bounced back with a 9-1 win. Both nine inning games were played on Saturday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
In game one, NJCU (10-14, 1-5 NJAC), scored the most runs in a conference game since defeating Richard Stockton College, 18-2, in 1995, and Kean University, 19-11, in 1994. The 18-run margin of victory matches a 19-1 win over Rutgers-Camden in 1991 for second largest margin of victory in school history during league competition. In 1984, NJCU defeated Rutgers-Newark, 23-4, in a game that holds the record for most runs (23) and largest margin of victory (19) in NJAC action.
 
Rodriguez (3-3) scattered 10 hits (nine singles) in a 130-pitch, complete-game shutout effort, striking out two and walking two. It was his third complete game of the season. Meanwhile, Rodriguez earned his ninth career win, moving into a five-way tie for ninth place in career victories, and his eighth career complete game—now tied for eighth in school history.
 
Junior left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison) had a combined five hits and four runs in the doubleheader, including a four-RBI, 3-for-6, three-run showing in game one and junior second baseman PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) was 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBIs and two walks in the opening game, finishing with four hits on the day. NJCU matched a season high with the 18 hits in game one and although Camden committed six errors, 13 of the 18 runs were earned. The 18 runs were a season high and the sixth double-digit run production game of the season.
 
In game two, sophomore right-hander Tommy Potts (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional) was the one throwing a gem for the guests, as he scattered three singles and allowed one earned run with six strikeouts and one walk in 7.1 innings over 83 pitches, improving to 2-2. Sophomore righty Jim Turner (Medford, NJ/Holy Cross) and sophomore righty Dan Snyder (Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro) each had one strikeout while combining to retire the final five batters of the game in order.
NJCU, leading 2-0, posted its largest run-producing inning since April 17, 2005—when it scored 11 and 12 runs in an inning in back-to-back games against City College of New York. NJCU sent 14 men to the plate in the fifth as it chalked up 10 runs and nine hits to put the game out of reach. The Knights added a run in the sixth, two in the seventh and a three-spot in the eighth to turn the game into a rout.
 
NJCU, which won 10 games the entire 2011 season (10-28), captured its 10^th win in just its 23^rd game under first-year head coach Jerry Smith, while dropping the Raptors to their sixth loss in a row.
 
Led by Rivera's 3-for-6, four RBI, three-run performance that included his second triple of the season and Senyszyn's 3-for-3, three-run, three-RBI, two-walk day, five Gothic Knights had multiple hits. Freshman right fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) was 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBIs and two walks and junior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) added two runs and two RBIs while notching his fifth double of the season.
 
Junior third baseman BRIAN BUSTILLO (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was 2-for-5 with two runs and one RBI and junior catcher ORLANDO BOLANO (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) scored twice, going 2-for-4. Sophomore catcher MIKE CASIANO (Newark, NJ/North 13^th Street) and sophomore outfielder MATT MATLOSZ (Clark, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) each drove in two runs in pinch-hit opportunities. In all, 11 different NJCU players and all nine players in the starting batting lineup had at least one hit.
 
The only R-C player with multiple hits was its leadoff hitter, junior left fielder Albert Rivera (Matawan, NJ/Matawan Regional) who was 3-for-4.
 
Senior right-hander Andrew Hoffman (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) became the school's all-time leader in innings pitched in the game, surpassing the previous record of 223.2 innings by Matt Ulmer (2002-05). But Hoffman, who upped his career total to 226.2, only lasted 4.1 innings in taking the loss (3-4). He gave up seven earned runs (nine total) and eight hits with four strikeouts and three walks. The Raptors used three other relief pitchers to span the final 3.2 innings and each allowed multiple runs.
 
After leaving two runners stranded in the first inning, NJCU got all the offense it would need in the second as Wagner reached on a throwing error, Bustillo singled and Senyszyn followed with an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Patterson drove in the second run with a ground ball.
 
NJCU didn't threaten in the third and fourth innings but that all changed in the fifth. Senyszyn walked, Patterson dropped down a sacrifice bunt that resulted in an error and after a strikeout accounted for the first retired batter, Rivera ripped a 1-1 pitch down the right field line into the corner for a two-run triple. It was the first of his two hits in the inning, tying the single-game school record (accomplished numerous times) for most hits in the same inning.
 
Freshman first baseman ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) singled up the middle of a drawn-in infield to drive in Rivera for a 5-0 margin. Bolano and sophomore designated hitter ROB ROMAN (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) followed with back-to-back singles and Wagner deposited a two-run single to right field, scoring Weinstein, and Bolano, who made an acrobatic dive onto the plate to beat the tag for a 7-0 differential.
 
That was it for Hoffman but the bleeding continued. Bustillo singled through the drawn-in infield to score Roman for an 8-0 lead and Senyszyn, at the plate for the second time in the inning, added an RBI single to drive in Wagner, before a fielding error at the end of the hit allowed Bustillo to come home with the 10^th run. Patterson dumped an RBI double into the right-center gap for the 11^th run as Senyszyn scored his second run of the inning. Rivera rang up an RBI single to cap the frame and make it 12-0.
 
In the sixth, NJCU added three hits as Bolano and Wagner singled before Senyszyn slipped a single through the right side. Camden stranded two runners on in the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, NJCU brought seven batters to the plate and added two runs on one hit and three Camden errors. Both runs came across on a pinch hit single through the left side by Matlosz.
 
In the eighth, seven more Gothic Knights came to the plate, with NJCU playing mainly its reserves by this point in the game. Still, NJCU managed three more runs on two hits. Senyszyn led off with a walk and rookie reserve catcher TRAVIS HABER (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) remarkably waited out his fifth walk in eight plate appearances to begin his collegiate career. An RBI single by Rivera, one of the few regulars to remain in, accounted for the 16^th run before Casiano, hitting just .161 coming into the game, doubled to right center for two runs and an 18-0 advantage.
 
In the top of the ninth, with Rodriguez attempting to complete the shutout, he secured two quick groundouts before a fly ball that could have ended the game, was lost in the bright sun over the outfield for a double. A Camden single put runners on the corners before Wen-Rod drew a line out to center field to complete the win. Behind the pitching of Potts, NJCU was limited to 15 fewer hits and 17 less runs than in the opening game. The Raptors scored twice in the first and five times in the second inning before tacking on single runs in the fourth and sixth. NJCU broke up the shutout in the seventh inning.
 
Senior shortstop Joe Merlino (Pine Hill, NJ/Overbrook Regional) was one of six Raptors with multiple hits as the guests collected 18 in game two. R-C stranded 15 runners on base.
 
Merlino was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and a run scored and senior second baseman Joe Hydock (Medford, NJ/Shawnee) went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Senior right fielder Jon Siswo (Port Reading, NJ/Woodbridge) was 3-for-5 with two runs and two doubles.
 
Also for Camden, senior first baseman C.J. Mooney (Milltown, NJ/Spotswood) and junior catcher Shaune Collins (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) each had two hits. Junior center fielder Bruce Monro (Matawan, NJ/Matawan Regional) was 2-for-5 with a run and RBI.
 
For NJCU, Rivera was 1-for-3 with the lone run and Weinstein and Senyszyn provided the other hits.
 
Sophomore left-hander ZACK MARKLE (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken), who had been brilliant this year with a 2.16 ERA in eight games (16.2 innings) coming in, didn't have it on this day. In 1.1 innings, he took the loss (2-2), allowing seven runs and nine hits with a walk.
 
Sophomore righty RYAN MITCHELL (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) threw 4.2 innings of relief, allowing one earned run (two total) and seven hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Weinstein made his first pitching performance as a Gothic Knights and allowed just one hit and one walk in 1.0 innings. Rookie righty KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) tossed a perfect eighth inning before freshman JUAN CRUZ (Jersey City, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) fanned one batter and allowed one hit in the ninth inning.
 
In the first inning, Merlino but was thrown out stealing, but Camden kept the hits coming, finishing with five in the inning. Monro singled and Siswo blooped a double down the right field line before both players scored on a double to right center by Hydock for a 2-0 edge. Despite the five hits, Camden only scored twice and stranded two on.
 
But the Raptors continued swinging in the second inning, notching five more runs on six hits. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases before Merlino cleared the bags with a three-run double to left center for a 5-0 margin before advancing on a throwing error. Monro brought in Merlino with a sac fly before Mooney doubled to right for the seventh run.
 
Camden, which left runners on base in every inning except the fifth, and multiple runners in the first, second, fourth, sixth, seventh and ninth frames, added a single run in the fourth when Hydock  was hit by a pitch before advancing on a ground out and an error and scoring on a two-out wild pitch. R-C added a run in the sixth when Hydock singled, stole second, advanced to third when Siswo who singled, was picked off third, and scored on a subsequent throwing error.
 
NJCU's run came across in the seventh as Rivera led off with a single, advanced to second on a ground out, third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sac fly by Bolano.
 
NJCU visits Madison, NJ on Tuesday, April 10 at 3:30 p.m. when it faces FDU-Florham in a non-conference  game.