CABO ROJO, PUERTO RICO (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) drew a two-out walk on a 3-2 pitch in the top of the eighth inning and stole second for one of his five stolen bases in the game before an error extended the inning, and he scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by junior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) as the New Jersey City University baseball team capped its 2016 spring trip with an 8-7 win over Arcadia University on March 12.
 
NJCU improved to 5-2 overall and concluded its first ever trip to Puerto Rico and a four-day appearance at the Clemente Cup 2016 Puerto Rico Spring Break trip with a 4-2 record. Arcadia dropped to 7-4.
 

The Gothic Knights scored twice in the top of the seventh to seize a 7-4 lead before Arcadia scored three times in the bottom of the inning to even the game at 7-7. Enter sophomore left-hander Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen). He would shut down the Arcadia Knights, getting NJCU out of the inning before tossing 2.2 no-hit innings with three strikeouts and a walk over 33 pitches to claim his first win (1-0) as the sixth and final pitcher used for the Gothic Knights.
 
In a sloppy game that saw a combined nine errors (5, Arcadia; 4, NJCU), the Gothic Knights held an 11-9 margin in hits and scored three runs in the first inning and led 4-1 after two before Arcadia scored three times in the bottom of the third to tie it at 4-4.
 
Rueger became the first Gothic Knight to steal five bases in a game in 11 years, scored three runs and batted 2-for-4 with a walk to pace NJCU while junior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) produced four RBIs, batting 3-for-5 with a double.
 
Coutinho had two RBIs and scored twice and junior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) scored twice while reaching base for the 24th consecutive game.
 
Third baseman Nick Todero was 3-for-5 with a run and RBI for Arcadia and second baseman Justin Chasmar was 2-for-5 with two runs. Left fielder Pat Shevlin had two RBIs and first baseman Michael Nessel scored twice.
 
After freshman right-hander Ray Liguori (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South) started and went three innings with four strikeouts (two walks) but four runs allowed, junior righty Joe Stone (Piscataway, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) pitched well for the next 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and one walk.
 
Connor Laigiae, the third Arcadia pitcher used, took the loss (1-2). In 2.1 innings he allowed one unearned run and two hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Arcadia's five errors led to five unearned runs.
 
NJCU scored three times in the opening inning when Rueger led off with a single, stole second and third, and scored on the first of two errors in the frame. Reinecke later capitalized on Arcadia's mistakes, depositing a two-run RBI single to right center.
 
Arcadia got a run back in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back doubles—the second by Todero—before a two-out single by senior first baseman Andrew Niech (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) made it 4-1. Arcadia's three-run third inning included four hits, highlighted by an RBI single by Chasmar and a two-run single by Shevlin. NJCU reclaimed a 5-4 lead in the fifth when Rueger reached on a leadoff error, stole second and third and scored on a two-out RBI single by junior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan).
 
In the top of the seventh, Coutinho was hit by a pitch and Buchholz singled. With two outs, Reinecke doubled to right center on a 3-2 pitch for a 7-4 cushion. It didn't last as Arcadia scored three times on just one hit. Nessel was hit by a pitch, Chasmar doubled and another hit batter loaded the bases. Back-to-back balks pushed the fifth and sixth runs across for Arcadia before a sacrifice fly by shortstop George Pagan tied the game.
 
After Rueger scored the go-ahead run in the eighth, Ramirez induced three fly outs in the eighth, another to open the ninth, then struck out the final two batters of the game—one swinging and the final looking—to seal the win.  
 
OF NOTE:

• Dmitri Rueger's five stolen bases were the most in a game since Rob Sumner had five on April 24, 2005 at Cazenovia.
• Zach Buchholz extends his on-base streak to 24 consecutive games.
• Dmitri Rueger extended his on-base streak to 17 consecutive games.
• Nick Ruscingno extended his hitting streak to 13 consecutive games.
• Andrew Niech, fifth in school history in hits, added another for his 163rd.

 
#NextKnightTime:
After returning from the Caribbean, NJCU plays three non-conference road games next week, beginning on Wednesday, March 16 (4 p.m.) when it visits Mount Saint Mary College (NY) at Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls, NY.