New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

EAGLE LAKE, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University senior right-hander WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep) moved within one win of tying the career program record for victories and did not allow an earned run in a brilliant complete-game seven-hit effort as the Gothic Knights opened their annual spring trip to Florida with a 3-2 triumph over Penn State University-Abington on March 9 at Lake Region High School.
 
In the opening game of a four-game appearance at the Russ Matt Spring Break Invitational, NJCU (4-4) evened its record at .500 by scoring three runs in the top of the second inning and despite committing three errors, held off the Lions (4-9). PSU-Abington scored single unearned runs in the third and fifth innings.
 
Rodriguez (1-1), a one-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week this season, made his fourth start in eight games (two no decisions), and despite three infield errors, shut down the Lions with six strikeouts without issuing a walk, and scattered just seven singles while allowing the two unearned runs. In claiming his first win of the year and 11^th of his career, he was in complete control of his pitches, needing just 98 pitches to secure the win, while throwing 76 strikes.
 
“This was Wendell's fourth start of the year and we think for the most part, all have been quality starts,” said second-year head coach Jerry Smith. “We understand what we're going to get when Wendell is on the mound—a lot of contact, a lot of ground balls, and we have to take advantage of his quality outings.”
 
Senior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) now has a club-best 11 RBIs in eight games, despite hitting in the leadoff role, after going 1-for-3 with two RBIs—a two-run, two-out double down the left field line in the second inning that proved to be the difference in the game offensively.
 
Sophomore MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) was 3-for-4, starting the game at shortstop before moving over to third base, and sophomore first baseman ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored. Junior ROB ROMAN (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) added a 2-for-2 effort as a pinch hitter and designated hitter and sophomore right fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) drove in the first run of the game, going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Sophomore NICHOLAS D'ERRICO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), started the game at third base, where he made a key defensive play to save a run, before moving over to shortstop, and he scored once.
 
The Lions used four pitchers. Senior righty Mark McCouch (Horsham, PA) started, throwing an effective six innings—allowing three runs and nine hits with two K's and two walks over 75 pitches. At the plate, he was 1-for-4 with an RBI as a designated hitter and second baseman.
 
Senior center fielder Dustin Kology (Philadelphia, PA) was 2-for-4 with one RBI and senior right fielder Bill Parave (Pennsauken, NJ) was 2-for-4. He also threw 1.2 innings of relief, allowing two hits with one K. Senior third baseman Pat Moran (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) reached twice on an error, and came around to score both runs for the Lions.
 
In the second inning, Weinstein had a one-out double to right, moved to third on a groundout and scored when Wagner slipped an 0-2 pitch through the left side of the infield for a 1-0 lead. D'Errico singled and Patterson roped the first pitch he saw over the head of the left fielder and down the line to plate two runs for a 3-0 lead. He would be stranded at third base.
 
In the bottom of the third, Moran reached on a one-out fielding error by Martucci and the next batter reached on a Weinstein fielding error. Kology singled to shortstop to load the bases. McCouch hit a sharp ground ball to third to score Moran with an unearned run, but D'Errico prevented a second run from scoring when he dove to his left and knocked the ball down, keeping it in the infield. That proved key as Rodriguez induced Parave to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat.
 
In the fifth, Abington drew within one run; Moran reached on a one-out throwing error and scored on a two-out single up the middle by Kology, before Rodriguez coaxed a grounder to short to end the threat.
 
The Lions' best remaining chance to tie the game came in the eighth inning, as two runners reached on a two-out single and hit by pitch, and moved into scoring position on a balk, before a line drive to left ended the threat. NJCU loaded the bases in the top of the ninth seeking an insurance run, before being picked off at first base for the second time in the game. But Rodriguez iced the Lions with back-to-back strikeouts swinging in the bottom of the ninth before Martucci leaped to corral a high-hop at third by Moran, leading to the game-ending throw.
 
“Our message to the kids was don't get too caught up on results this early in the season, but instead the process—learn from the losses and the wins and what we can do better,” noted Smith. “This was one of those wins we need to learn from and how to be better moving forward.”
 
On day two of the trip on Sunday, March 10 at 3:30 p.m. the Knights will face Medaille College at Chain of Lakes Park Field 2 in Winter Haven, FL. Fan can follow the live broadcast of the game on NJCUGothicKnights.com or with live stats, and via Twitter at the @NJCU_Athletics handle.