JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | No. 17/22 ranked The College of New Jersey received two strong pitching performances and swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader from New Jersey City University, 4-0 and 7-5 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on April 16.
 
In the game one loss, junior left fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) had a great defensive effort and collected the 99th and 100th hits of his career in his 89th game, and became the 40th player to join the NJCU 100-hit club in the 69-year history of the program. Ruscingno is the fifth Gothic Knight to reach the milestone since Jerry Smith became head coach in 2012.

TCNJ, ranked No. 17 by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and No. 22 by D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, extended its winning streak to nine straight and claimed sole possession of first place in the NJAC with 16 points, as the Lions upped their mark to 23-4 and 8-2 in the NJAC. After the best 16-game start to a season since 1980, the Gothic Knights have dropped seven in a row and fall to 13-13 and 0-8 in the NJAC.

Game 1: No. 17/22 The College of New Jersey 4, New Jersey City 0
TCNJ senior right-handed pitcher Steven Volpe (Cherry Hill, N.J./Eastern Regional) took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and tossed his third complete game of the season as the Lions shutout NJCU.
 
The Knights were shutout for the second straight game as Volpe improved to 5-0, scattering five hits in 9.0 innings with four strikeouts and two walks over 114 pitches. He retired 15 straight batters between the first and sixth innings. He lost a no-hit bid when Ruscingno singled to left with one out in the seventh.
 

Ruscingno batted 2-for-4. His one-out single to left in the ninth was his 100th career hit. Earlier in the game, he also threw out two runners at the plate—sophomore left fielder Mike Follet (Marlton, N.J./Cherokee) to end the third inning and junior catcher CJ Gearhart (Robbinsville, NJ./Robbinsville) to end the sixth.
 
Freshman righty Anthony Carfora (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) made his first career start after seven previous relief appearances and threw well enough to win, before ultimately losing (1-2). In 5.2 innings he allowed one earned run (four total) and seven hits, striking out three with four walks.
 
Sophomore righty Anthony Keri (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) pitched in relief in both ends of the doubleheader—his 17th and 18th appearances in 26 games. In game one he tossed 2.0 innings of relief, allowing two hits, with one strikeout and one walk as the second of four pitchers used.
 
The first three batters in the TCNJ lineup accounted for seven of its nine hits. Sophomore third baseman Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, N.J./West Morris Central) was 3-for-4 and senior center fielder John Rizzi (Millington, N.J./Watchung Hills) drove in three of the four runs out of the leadoff spot, going 2-for-3 with one run.
 
Senior right fielder Patrick Roberts (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough) knocked in the other run, batting 2-for-4. Sophomore shortstop Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, NY) and junior second baseman Ben Varone (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) each walked twice.
 
Key Moments
A pitcher's duel ensued for the first four innings until TCNJ scored three unearned runs in the top of the fifth. A one-out error extended the inning before a popup to short should have ended the inning. With two runners on, Rizzi lifted a two-out double down the left field line to plate two runs and scored on a single to center by Roberts for a 3-0 lead.
 
In the sixth, Shindler walked and Gearhart reached when a sky high popup was lost by the infielders in the sun. With two outs Varone walked to load the bags and Rizzi singled down the left field line for a 4-0 lead; Gearhart was thrown out at the plate trying to score from second.
 
After finally getting to Volpe in the later innings, NJCU had its chance in the ninth. Ruscingno singled with one out—his 100th hit—junior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) singled and with two outs, junior Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) pinch hit and walked to load the bases before Volpe struck out freshman Ray Liguori (Beachwood, N.J./Toms River South) looking in a pinch hitting role to end the game.
 
Game 2: No. 17/22 The College of New Jersey 7, New Jersey City 5
NJCU outhit the Lions, 11-7 and twice tied the game—2-2 in the fifth and 3-3 in the seventh. The Lions regained a 4-3 lead in the eighth before adding three key insurance runs in the ninth and held on when NJCU's rally in the bottom of the ninth was limited to two runs.
 

For NJCU, sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs and junior designated hitter Andrew Niech (Avenel, N.J./Colonia) broke out of a slump against NJAC pitching with two hits (2-for-4) and two runs. Junior third baseman/shortstop Zach Buchholz (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) had two hits.
 
For TCNJ, Shindler walked four times—twice intentionally—and scored three times while Follet produced three RBIs, batting 3-for-4 with a double and triple. Junior first baseman Alex Christian (Milltown, N.J./Spotswood) knocked in three RBIs. Anderson scored twice.  
 
TCNJ sophomore righty Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, N.J./DePaul Catholic) improved to 6-1. He went the first 7.0 innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out six (no walks) over 96 pitches. Sophomore Matt Curry (Marlton, N.J/Cherokee) earned his sixth save, throwing the final 2.0 innings (two strikeouts, two unearned runs, three hits).
 
Liguori suffered the loss (2-2). He allowed three earned runs and four hits in 8.0 innings, but was wild, walking seven (two intentionally) with one strikeout.
 
Of the seven TCNJ runs, six were scored by a player who reached base via walk; one runner was thrown out at the plate after previously walking.
 
Key Moments
Liguori walked the first two batters of the game on eight pitches. After a double steal of second and third, Buchholz retired the lead runner, Rizzi, at the plate. NJCU intentionally walked the bases loaded and the move backfired as Liguori hit Christian with the first pitch, pushing across the first run for a 1-0 lead. TCNJ scored without the virtue of a hit in the inning (three walks, one HBP)
 
In the second Rizzi walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a fielding error at short for a 2-0 lead—again without recording a hit.
 
Cirillo retired the first nine batters of the game in order (four strikeouts) and TCNJ led off the fourth with the first hit of the game for either team.
 
NJCU got two men on in the fourth when Rueger singled and with one out Buchholz followed with a hit before both were stranded. The Knights would draw even in the fifth as Reinecke singled through the right side on the first pitch, Niech lined a base hit off the glove of the first baseman and with runners on second and third after a sacrifice, junior Taylor Born (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) had a pinch hit RBI single to center. After another sac bunt by Rueger, Coutinho singled to right field, knocking in Niech with NJCU's sixth hit of the game and fourth of the inning to tie it at 2-2. The two runs ended a 25-inning scoreless stretch for NJCU.
 
Liguori allowed just one hit through the first five innings but he walked five in six innings before notching his first strikeout. In the visitors sixth, Shindler led off with a walk and scored on a two-out triple to the left-center gap by Follet for a 3-2 TCNJ lead.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Niech led off with a double the opposite way. After a two-out groundout moved him to third, Rueger had an opposite field RBI single to tie it at 3-3.
 
In the eighth Shindler led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second and with two outs Follet hit a ball to right. Coutinho laid out and nearly made a fantastic catch but it kicked out of his glove when he hit the turf as the Lions regained a 4-3 lead.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Buchholz led off with a single and an error on a fielder's choice gave NJCU runners on first and second. But Curry struck out back-to-back batters and got a flyout to left to end the threat and leave the tying run at second.
 
The Lions tacked on three key insurance runs in the ninth. Anderson doubled, Roberts walked and Shindler was intentionally walked with one out as NJCU tried to set up a double play. But Christian singled up the middle to drive in two runs and Follet followed with an RBI single or a 7-3 margin. In the bottom of the ninth, junior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) singled and Born reached on an error. Rueger singled home one run before Born scored when Coutinho hit into a double play and the Knights couldn't threaten any further.
 
OF NOTE:

• Andrew Niech has 187 hits in 138 career games. Still third in school history, he is nine hits shy of second place and 13 shy of becoming NJCU's all-time leader. He has scored 103 runs with 94 RBIs.
• NJCU has had less success in the last 30 years against TCNJ than any opponent. TCNJ has now won the last 38 meetings and outscored NJCU during that span, 277-78. NJCU's last win over the Lions came on April 16, 1997 in Ewing, NJ—a 7-4 decision. NJCU's last home win over TCNJ came on April 23, 1989 when then-Jersey City State swept then-Trenton State College, 8-1 and 8-5.

 
#NextKnightTime:
In a makeup of a twice postponed doubleheader, NJCU plays its fifth and sixth games in four days and seventh game in five days when it meets Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. at 11:30 a.m. The Profs are 15-13 (4-4 NJAC).
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