JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior catcher Andrew Niech (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) hit homers in the first and second innings—the second a grand slam—and produced five RBIs and four runs and leading 8-6 after seven innings, the New Jersey City University baseball team cemented its 12th win with seven more runs in the eighth as NJCU surged past Marywood University, 15-6, in a non-conference game on March 31 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
NJCU won its fifth in a row, and its sixth in seven games to improve to 12-4 overall—just a half game behind the 1980 team that opened the year 12-3-1 after 16 games for the best start to a season in school history. Marywood, members of the Colonial States Athletic Conference, fell to 4-9. The 12 wins in the month of March is the most ever for NJCU.
 
Niech now has five homers in his last six games. In a 2-for-4 effort in the win he also walked twice, after hitting a long solo homer in the first inning to center and a grand slam to right center in the second inning. In 16 games he already has 26 RBIs and 29 hits. Moreover, he notched his 10th career homer, 180th career hit and 93rd RBI. He now has 55 career extra base hits—equaling the program record—and has scored 99 runs.
 
Freshman right-handed pitcher Elijah Pereira (Jersey City, N.J./Ferris) was brilliant in 5.0 shutout innings of relief to garner the win (2-0). In that span he allowed just three hits, striking out four without issuing a walk over a manageable 60 pitches.
 

While Niech had the big numbers, sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) batted 3-for-6 with an RBI and run scored and twice dropped down bunt singles then burned the Pacers with his speed.
 
Junior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) reached base five times, batting 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored while walking three times. Junior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) extended his on-base streak to 33 consecutive games and walked twice. Junior designated hitter CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) drew three walks and freshman shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) was 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Junior left fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) scored twice.
 
Freshman lefty Kyle Kafer (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) started for NJCU and went 3.0 innings before leaving with a no decision. He struck out three and walked three. Sophomore righty Sean Gibney (Rutherford, N.J./Saint Mary-Rutherford) had a strikeout and faced just four batters in relief in the ninth.
 
For the Pacers, senior shortstop Daniel Hull (Chalfont, Pa.) was 3-for-4 with three RBIs at the top of the order and freshman designated hitter Chase Jones (Mountain Top, Pa.) had two RBIs. Sophomore right fielder David Ortiz (Hawley, Pa.) was 2-for-3 with two runs and junior first baseman Matt Staback (Peckville, Pa.) had two hits.
 
Marywood used four pitchers. Junior righty Casey Reed (Scranton, Pa.) took the loss (0-2), giving up seven hits and eight runs with five walks (one strikeout) in 3.0 innings.
How It Happened:
After MU had consecutive batters reach to open the first, Kafer stranded the runners and his catcher did the damage in the bottom of the frame as Niech hit his fourth homer in six games, crushing a 1-1 pitch to the right of the 400-foot sign in center field for a 1-0 lead. NJCU stranded two on in the frame and led 1-0.
 
After walking the first two batters in the second, Kafer settled down and struck out the next two. But MU took advantage of the walks as Hull hit a long line drive into the right center gap. Rueger dove but the wind carried it off the tip of his glove and the two-run double gave the Pacers a 2-1 lead.
 
In the bottom of the second, Ruscingno reached on a leadoff error and promptly stole second. Junior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) walked and LoGatto singled before Rueger followed with a bases-loaded single to center to knock in Ruscingno with the tying run. Niech stepped to the plate and crushed a 3-1 pitch over the right center field fence for a grand slam and a 6-2 lead---his second homer in as many innings and his fifth RBI. NJCU eventually brought nine batters to the plate in the frame.
 
Marywood would get even in the top of the third when it tallied six of its 11 six hits in the game—all singles.MU singled twice with one out and Ortiz lined a ball to left that Ruscingno dove for but couldn't grab. That loaded the bases for Jones and his first pitch RBI single up the middle cut the deficit to 6-4. A ground ball to third plated the fifth run when NJCU couldn't handle the slow roller. Still with two outs, Hull singled to center to tie it at 6-6. Kafer struck out the ninth hitter of the inning looking to strand two on.
 
Marywood would not score again and NJCU regained the lead for good with single runs in the third and fourth. Ruscingno led off the third with a double down the left field line and advanced on a balk. When LoGatto hit a ground ball to third, MU tried to check Ruscingno but he took off on the throw and beat the throw to the plate to give the Knights back the lead, 7-6.

 
Pereira came on in the fourth and after a leadoff error, got three straight outs, all on nice defensive players behind him to open his solid relief appearance.
 
After the two earlier homers, Marywood worked around Niech in the fourth. But after walking him, MU would walk Coutinho, Buchholz and Pulcine, the latter which forced in Niech with the eighth run. After four straight walks, freshman reliever Nick DeCandia (Cresskill, N.J./Cresskill) struck out the next three batters swinging to strand the bases full.
 
NJCU still led 8-6 heading into the seventh, the Gothic Knights would send 13 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs on seven hits to blow the game open. Pulcine walked, sophomore first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) singled and after each player stole a base, Ruscingno had a sacrifice fly. Junior Taylor Born (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) had a pinch hit RBI single to center for a 10-6 lead. LoGatto also ripped an RBI single to center for the 11th run. With two outs, Niech walked and Coutinho and Buchholz chalked up back-to-back RBI singles to push the margin to 12-6. After MU changed pitchers for the second time in the inning, freshman Sean Erhardt (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield), who pinch ran and scored earlier in the inning, collected his first career hit to load the bases again. After an error extended the inning and pushed across run No. 14, sophomore Chris Stevenson (Belmar, N.J./Red Bank Regional) had a high bloop pinch hit single in the infield that MU could not track down and the lead reached 15-6.
 
QUOTABLE:
 
Head Coach Jerry Smith (fifth season) on the how NJCU baseball has produced the record 12-win month of March:
"You cannot just pinpoint one thing that has led to the start we have had thus far in this young—and I stress young season—because there are so many other hurdles we need to clear. We've discussed playing one game at a time since our arrival as a staff four-plus years ago, but I think this team has truly bought into 'what do we need to do this day to win'. Additionally, we have the most experience and depth in some time. The experience gives us the poise and leadership we need in these close games and the depth allows us to utilize our bullpen, which I am very proud of up to this point in the way they have pitched."
 
Smith on the tear Andrew Niech is on this year:
"The best players I've been around as a player and coach all have the same thing in common and that is they are strong mentally. Andrew has a tremendous perspective of the how the game should be played. He stays even keeled and those limited times he gets off track he has a unique ability to get refocused quickly. And this is good to see because there is definite growth in this part of his game from three years ago. These qualities have also helped him develop into the leader and mentor to this talented freshmen class."
 
OF NOTE:

• Zach Buchholz extends his on-base streak to 33 consecutive games. It's the longest since 2015 senior Michael Martucci (Bayonne, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) ended his record-breaking career with an active 34-game on-base streak—the third longest streak in NJCU history and sixth best on record in the New Jersey Athletic Conference's annals.  
• Andrew Niech has a 16-game hitting streak to open the season and 17 games overall. He now has 180 hits in 128 games. He will spend the month of April trying to chase the top two hitters on the list—Rob Sumner (2005-08) with 196 hits and new all-time leader Michael Martucci (2012-15) who set the record last year with 199 hits.
• Andrew Niech's grand slam was the first for an NJCU player since Niech also hit one on April 6, 2015 vs. CCNY.
• With 99 runs, Andrew Niech needs one more to become the sixth Gothic Knight to score 100 times.
• With 55 career extra-base hits (43 doubles, 2 triples, 10 home runs), Andrew Niech tied NJCU's career mark for total extra-base hits. Hall-of-Famer Rich Levens (1986-88) had 55 extra-base hits (19 doubles, 18 triples, 18 homers).
• Andrew Niech became the seventh player in NJCU history to hit at least 10 career homers—Rich Levens, 18 (1986-88); Rob Sumner, 15 (2005-08); Rick Pizzuti, 13 (1997-99); Brian Veneziano, 11 (1997-00); Anthony Caivano, 10 (2002-05) and Bill McClintock, 10 (1981-82).
• Andrew Niech moved into sixth place in school history with 93 RBIs. The Top 5:

1. 126       Rich Levens      1986-88
2. 104       Rob Sumner      2005-08
3. 97         Brian Veneziano 1997-00
4. 96         Alex Weinstein  2012-15
5. 95         B.J. Fearon       1994-96

• With the two homers, Andrew Niech moved into third place in school history with 257 total bases, passing Michael Martucci (249). Rob Sumner is the all-timer leader (291) while Rich Levens is second (269).

 
#NextKnightTime:
NJCU, selected No. 9 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, was also tabbed as the league's darkhorse. NJCU will seek to begin surprising teams when it opens NJAC play on Saturday, April 2 at 11:30 a.m. when it plays a doubleheader against No. 3/4 ranked Ramapo College. The Roadrunners (14-1-1) reached the NCAA Division III College World Series a year ago. Follow live stat (http://www.sidearmstats.com/ramapo/baseball/) and video (http://ramapoathletics.com/showcase).