New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score LAKELAND, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) were locked in a see-saw spring baseball game on March 11 before the Engineers lived up to that nickname, engineering a seven-run rally in the top of the ninth for a 14-7 victory in a game played at Southeastern University.
 
After RPI scored twice in the top of the sixth, NJCU drew even in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI single by sophomore catcher ANDREW NIECH (Avenel, NJ/Colonia). But RPI responded against three Gothic Knight pitchers in the ninth as 11 batters accounted for six hits and the decisive outburst.
 
RPI (4-1), the second consecutive 2013 conference champion NJCU (1-5, lost 3) has faced on the trip, was 30-15 last year when it captured the Liberty League championship, and won two games in the NCAA Tournament.
 
The Engineers defense didn't play well, committing five errors that led to four unearned Gothic Knight runs, but RPI had a 17-10 advantage in the hits column.
 
In defeat for NJCU, several Gothic Knights had stellar offensive efforts, led by junior center fielder MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) who slid from the leadoff spot to third in the lineup yet still produced, batting 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including two ribbies on a double to center in the bottom of the first. Martucci, the reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week, upped his career hits mark to 103.
 
Junior MIGUEL AVILES (Union City, NJ/Saint Mary's (Jersey City)), typically a reserve catcher, got the start in right field and moved to the top of the order, where he scored three times and knocked in a run while batting 2-for-5.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman left fielder ERIC GIORDANO (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) was 2-for-5 with a double and junior first baseman/pitcher ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) scored twice, going 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI.
 
Five different RPI players deposited multiple RBIs including the third, fourth, fifth and sixth batters in the lineup. Shortstop Nick Palmiero, the No. 6 hitter, was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs while No. 3 hitting center fielder Jared Jensen batted 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Third baseman Tim LeSuer collected four runs and batted 4-for-6 with an RBI at the top of the order.
 
Meanwhile, right fielder Shane Matthews was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run and left fielder Nick Annunziata added a 2-for-4 showing with two RBIs and a run scored. First baseman Andrew Kalish batted 3-for-4 with a run and walk and designated hitter Al Mersman had two RBIs, finishing 1-for-4 with a run. Second baseman Matt Lawrence was 2-for-4 with a run. In all, every batter other than the No. 8 slot had a hit and run scored for RPI.
 
NJCU used six pitchers and each was charged with at least one run. Senior left-hander ZACK MARKLE (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) went four innings (five runs, eight hits, one strikeout). Junior NICHOLAS D'ERRICO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) started the game at shortstop before becoming the fourth Gothic Knight to throw. He took the loss in just over 1.0 innings of work, allowing three runs and three hits before leaving with two men on and NJCU down 8-7 in the ninth.
 
Freshmen MARK PETRUCELLI (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Queen of Peace) and JOE STONE (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin), Weinstein and junior lefty DELIO COUTINHO (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) all saw mound action for NJCU.
 
RPI used three pitchers with the third, sophomore righty Stephen Schiavone earning the win (2-0) in 1.2 innings of relief, allowing two hits with a pair of strikeouts. Freshman righty Adam Aponte had a no-decision, allowing six runs (two earned), six hits and a walk in 4.0 innings before junior lefty Adam Kalish gave up a run and two hits with three walks over 3.1 innings.
 
"We had a lot of two out opportunities but we didn't get the two-out hits," noted third-year head coach Jerry Smith about NJCU's loss, which included nine men left on base. "We had great at bats and when we did hit the ball well, it was right at people. We just feel we're missing that component of the two-out hit. They [RPI] had diving plays at second, short and third in the game and when they needed to make a defensive play they did. It's always something we're missing—some facet of our game. Today, we hit the ball and played sound defense. We need to get all parts of our game clicking on the same day and all facets. The sky's the limit if we do come together."
 
Smith added: "we played back-to-back opponents that were 30-win teams. We didn't look good at anything in the first game [March 10 vs. Saint Joseph's (Maine), 15-1 loss]. We made nice strides in this game but when you play a team like this everything is magnified and they [RPI] capitalized. They did a nice job answering back right away when we scored in the bottom of the 8^th. It's no shock they won 30 games."
 
RPI struck first scoring twice in the top of the first on an RBI single by Mersman and a Matthews' sacrifice fly before NJCU responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame and three more in the second. Martucci's two-RBI double in the first brought home Aviles and Weinstein with the tying runs after they had reached on an error and hit by pitch.
 
In the second, reigning NJAC Rookie Player of the Week, second/third baseman TAYLOR BORN (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) singled and stole second before scoring on a single by Aviles. An RBI single by Weinstein scored D'Errico who reached on an error, before a groundout by Martucci knocked in Aviles for a 5-2 lead.
 
RPI responded with two in the top of the third on RBI singles by Jensen and Matthews before NJCU extended the margin to 6-4 in the bottom of the fourth on an error that allowed Aviles, who singled and stole second, to score.
 
RPI made it a one-run game in the fifth as LeSuer singled, stole second, and scored on a fielder's choice ground ball by Mersman. The Engineers pulled in front, 7-6, against Weinstein in the sixth when Palmiero, who was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a single by Lawrence. A wild pitch advanced both runners into scoring position before a balk pushed across the tying run in Palmiero. Annunziata's sac fly to center brought home Lawrence.
 
NJCU had a chance to score in the fifth, loading the bases before Aviles ripped a line drive right at Jensen in center.  NJCU stranded two runners in the sixth before getting the tying run in the bottom of the eighth. Weinstein walked with one out, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Niech.
 
But in a nine-inning sport, NJCU was unable to finish. Annunziata singled to lead off the ninth and LeSuer doubled home the go-ahead run. Andrew Kalish singled off D'Errico—the third straight RPI hit—and Coutinho came on in relief. But NJCU's ace couldn't stop the bleeding. An RBI single and back-to-back walks loaded the bags and forced in a run as RPI's lead swelled to 10-7. Stone came on in relief but Palmiero's bases-clearing double knocked in three more runs, making it 13-7, before an RBI single by Annunziata capped the outburst.
 
After an off-day on March 12, NJCU is back on the diamond on March 13 against Rockford University at 11:30 a.m. in Auburndale, Fla.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | Lakeland, Fla.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (4-1)	2	0	2	0	1	2	0	0	7	14	17	5
New Jersey City University (1-5)	2	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	7	10	0
WP: Stephen Schiavone (2-0). LP: NICHOLAS D'ERRICO (0-2).