FLEMINGTON, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior first baseman Alex Weinstein (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) broke a 22-year-old single-season school record for doubles, notching his 18th and 19th of the season, but the New Jersey City University baseball team struggled on the mound, giving up 18 runs in the first three innings as NJCU lost a lopsided non-conference game to Centenary College, 20-3, on April 21 at Diamond Nation.
 
Centenary (14-13) led 4-0 after the first inning, added three in the second and put the game out of reach with 11 runs in the third inning when 14 batters stepped to the plate. NJCU dropped to 12-17 with the loss.
 
Weinstein (2-for-5, 1 RBI) continued one of the greatest single-season individual efforts in program history in the setback. After posting five doubles as a freshman in 2012 and just one in each of the past two years, Weinstein, who entered the game tied for first on the single-season charts, led off the sixth inning with a double to right field to establish a new standard, then extended that mark with a two-out RBI double to left center in the ninth. In doing so, Weinstein, in his 29th game of the season broke the single-season standard set by Paul Grasso, also in 29 games, in 1993.
 
Centenary had eight extra-base hits in the game including two home runs and second baseman Nick Daniele was the most lethal, batting 3-for-3 with six RBIs, and three runs scored. All six RBIs came in the third inning—a two-run double to get the inning going before producing a grand slam over the left field fence.
 
Third/first baseman Chris Ohlweiler also generated six RBIs, batting 2-for-5 with two runs. He had a three-run triple in the first inning to load the bases and spark the Cyclones before adding a second-inning sacrifice fly and a two-run double in the third.
 
Also for Centenary, left fielder Ryan Caparoni was 3-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, two walks and a two-run homer in the fourth. Center fielder Joe Forcellini was 4-for-5 with two RBIs, three runs and a walk. Catcher Dave Raifsnider walked three times, scored twice and collected two RBIs. Three other players scored twice.
 
NJCU senior shortstop/center fielder Michael Martucci (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) had one hit, upping his second-place career total to 184 in 139 games—now 12 shy of matching the program's all-time mark of 196 by Rob Sumner. Martucci extended his consecutive games on-base streak to 26. By playing in his 139th game, he became NJCU's all-time leader in games played, passing Sumner.
 
Eric Thorpe was the winning pitcher in relief. The second pitcher used after the starter only threw the first inning, he allowed two runs and five hits with five strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Sophomore righty Joe Juri (Emerson, NJ/Emerson) was the most effective of four NJCU pitchers, throwing the final 5.0 innings—also allowing two runs and five hits with two strikeouts and two walks. Junior righty Azriel Andrickson (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) made his first career start for NJCU but suffered the loss (0-1) after failing to get out of the second inning.
 
OF NOTE:

• Michael Martucci with 184 hits in a program-record 139 games (139 starts) is 12 hits behind the record-holder Rob Sumner (196 hits, 2005-08). Martucci has scored 105 career runs (fifth in school history).
• Alex Weinstein upped his career hits total to 143 in 138 games (135 starts), tying Sean Costello (1984-87, 143 hits) for 10th place in school history. He tied the previous school record for games played with his 138th, a record now owned by Martucci (139/139). Weinstein upped his all-time defensive records for putouts (969) and total chances (1056).
• Junior catcher Andrew Niech had one hit, upping his career hits total to 137 in 104 games for 15th place. The program all-time leader in doubles (34) has 46 hits this season (42 in 2013, 49 in 2014).
• Eric Giordano has now hit safely in 24 of 29 games this season and 53 of 66 career games (82 hits).
• Game was a makeup of a February 22 doubleheader snowout.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Wednesday, April 22 NJCU hosts Stevens Institute of Technology at 3:30 p.m. at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex in a game moved from May 4 in Hoboken. The Ducks (21-10) received votes in his week's American Baseball Coaches Top 30 national poll.