UNION, N.J.. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 5/8 ranked Kean University scored four times in the second inning and twice more in the third to stake itself to a 6-1 lead and cooled off the red-hot
New Jersey City University baseball team, 6-3, in the opening game of a home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball series on April 9 at Jim Hynes Stadium.
Kean improved to 21-6 (5-2 NJAC) with its 12th win in 14 games. NJCU, winners of seven of eight coming in, dropped to 10-9 (3-4 NJAC). Kean is ranked No. 5 by D3baseball.com and eighth by the American Baseball Coaches Association. The two schools will play game two of the series on April 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex in Jersey City.
NJCU was only able to muster four hits with senior third baseman
Michael Martucci (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) collecting half of them, batting 2-for-4 with a double to up his career hits mark to 171 in 129 games. Sophomore right fielder
Eric Giordano (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) walked twice (scoring once) and extended his two-year consecutive games on-base streak to 33 straight. Junior catcher
Andrew Niech (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) also drew a pair of walks.
Senior first baseman
Alex Weinstein (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) collected his 14th double, going 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored.
Weinstein drove in at least one run for NJCU for the 10th consecutive game.
Senior right-hander
Kevin DeMauro (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) went the distance for NJCU (130 pitches). In 8.0 innings he allowed six runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts and three walks in the loss (1-2). He moved into the Top 10 in school history in strikeouts.
Mike Daley won for Kean (3-0), giving up one earned run and four hits in 6.2 innings. He struck out six and walked five over 128 pitches.
Vinny Zanfordino threw the final 2.1 innings for his fourth save, retiring all seven batters he faced (20 pitches) with either a ground out or fly ball.
Designated hitter
Anthony Fischetti was 3-for-4 with a double (RBI, run) and third baseman
Matt Krupa was 2-for-3 with two runs and two doubles for the Cougars. Second baseman
Tom McGuckin was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.
SCORING GLANCES:NJCU got on the board in the first when rookie left fielder
Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a throwing error.
The lead was short-lived. Kean scored four times on five hits in the second with a two-run double by
McGuckin giving the hosts the lead for good after
Krupa doubled and
Fischetti singled. After another single, centerfielder
Matt Meleo drove in the third run on a fielder's choice before scoring when left fielder
Scott Durkin tripled to right center with two outs for a 4-1 lead.
After a leadoff walk in the third, back-to-back RBI doubles by
Krupa and
Fischetti extended the differential to 6-1. NJCU got a run back in the fourth when
Giordano walked to leadoff the frame and scored on a double to right center by
Weinstein. The Knights left enough time for a late game comeback when they pulled within three in the sixth inning when sophomore second baseman
Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) doubled home
Weinstein after he reached on a fielding error to open the frame. But after NJCU got two men on with two outs in the seventh,
Zanfordino came on in relief and snuffed out the rally.
OF NOTE:- Michael Martucci, now with 171 career hits is in third place in school history. He is six hits shy of equaling Rob Gonzalez (177 hits, 2009-11) and 27 behind the record-holder Rob Sumner (196 hits, 2005-08). Martucci has reached base in 16 straight games.
- Alex Weinstein and Andrew Niech both have 127 career hits and are 17th in school history. Next on the hits list in 16th place is Romano Lake (1987-90, 134 hits).
- Eric Giordano has now hit safely in 16 of 19 games this season and 45 of 56 career games. His 33-game on-base streak is the second longest in NJCU and New Jersey Athletic Conference history. The NJCU and conference mark is 50 games by Jose Fulgencio from March 10, 2007 to March 16, 2008, which is also the third longest known streak in Division III history.
- The most strikeouts in NJCU history:
1. 196, Jack Nagurka (1983,85-86)
2. 145, Nelson Maldonado (2009-12)
3. 144, Matt Baker (1981-84)
4. 141, Delio Coutinho (2012-15)
5. 132, Anthony Principato (1986-89)
6. 129, Wendell Rodriguez (2010-13)
7. 125, Alberto Cajide (1974-75)
8. 121, B.J. Fearon (1994-96)
9. 112, Rob Motacki (2004-06)
10t. 104, Kevin DeMauro (2012-15)
10t. 104, Scott Rhodes (1991-93)
12. 103, Andy Ortiz (1982) |
- Most games in NJCU history
1. 138, Rob Sumner (2005-08)
2. 134, Nick Cucinello (1990-93)
3. 133, Dave Long (1987-90)
4. 131, Phil Zaffarano (1994-97)
5. 130, Sean Costello (1984-87)
6. 129, Michael Martucci (2012-15)
7. 127, Alex Mena (2007-10)
127, Alex Weinstein (2012-15)
9. 125, Anthony Squeglia (1986-89)
10. 124, Denis Peguero (2001-04)
124, Anthony Mackow (2005-08) |
- Most games started in NJCU history
Most games started
1. 136, Rob Sumner (2005-08)
2. 133, Nick Cucinello (1990-93)
3. 129, Michael Martucci (2012-15)
4. 128, Phil Zaffarano (1994-97)
5. 125, Alex Weinstein (2012-15) |
- Most runs scored in NJCU history
1. 174, Rob Sumner (2005-08)
2. 132, Phil Zaffarano (1994-97)
3. 128, Sean Costello (1984-87)
4. 113, Rob Gonzalez (2009-11)
5. 97, Michael Martucci (2012-15)
97, Jonathan Thomas (2001-04) |
- Most doubles in NJCU history
1. 33, Andrew Niech (2013-15)
2. 29, Nick Cucinello (1990-93)
3. 28, Eric Martinez (1996-98)
28, Michael Martucci (2012-15)
28, Phil Zaffarano (1994-97) |
- Most total bases in NJCU history
1. 291, Rob Sumner (2005-08)
2. 269, Rich Levens (1986-88)
3. 242, Phil Zaffarano (1994-97)
4. 217, Sean Costello (1984-87)
5. 213, Michael Martucci (2012-15) |
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