MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | If anything, the New Jersey City University baseball team proved that the New Jersey Athletic Conference coaches were correct when the Gothic Knights were named the league's 2016 Dark Horse. Because this year's NJCU club can play with anyone in the country. No. 3/4 ranked Ramapo scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to claim a 6-5 lead and threw out the potential tying run at second base to end the opening game of a doubleheader before the Roadrunners survived a game two pitcher's duel for a 3-1 win on April 2.
 
Ramapo, ranked No. 3 by D3baseball.com/NCBWA and No. 4 by the American Baseball Coaches Association, ups its mark to 16-1-1 and 2-0 in the NJAC as both teams opened conference play. NJCU fell to 12-6 (0-2 NJAC) and had its five-game winning streak halted.
 
Junior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) extended his on-base streak to 35 consecutive games—the third longest in school history and among the longest ever in the NJAC.

Game 1: No. 3/4 Ramapo 6, New Jersey City 5
Ramapo third baseman Austin Unglaub had a two-out, go-ahead two-run single in the bottom of the seventh and catcher Ryan Rinsky threw out the potential run stealing at second in the top of the ninth to end the game as RCNJ survived a test from NJCU.
 
After Ramapo scored three times in the bottom of the third on back-to-back RBI singles by center fielder Matthew Chemis and second baseman Joe Venturino and a bases-loaded walk to Unglaub, NJCU drew within a run with two runs in the top of the fourth. Junior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) walked and sophomore first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) doubled before junior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) singled to right field to score both men.
 
Ramapo added a run in the fifth for a 4-2 edge on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Connor Walsh to plate right fielder Rob DeAngelis who led off with a double.
 

The Gothic Knights answered in the sixth, scoring three times on four hits to reclaim a 5-4 advantage. Berardi, junior left fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) and Reinecke singled consecutively before freshman shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) pushed across a run with a groundout.  Sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) singled in the tying run before Reinecke came around on a subsequent two-out error.
 
With two outs in the seventh, Chemis and Venturino each singled to center, Walsh walked and Unglaub singled to center as RCNJ moved back on top, 6-5.
 
NJCU had a chance to tie it in the ninth when senior designated hitter Andrew Niech (Avenel, N.J./Colonia) singled with one out and freshman Sean Erhardt (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) pinch ran. But after a foul out, the Knights tried to force the tying run into scoring position and Erhardt  was thrown out stealing to end the game.
 
Jerry D'Andrea, who saved both games for the Roadrunners, picked up his third of the year and he allowed just one hit in the final 2.0 innings (18 pitches). Greg Westhelle improved to 4-0 in relief, winning despite allowing three runs (two earned) and six hits with two K's (one walk) in 3.0 innings in relief of starter Nick Recarte. Sophomore left-hander Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, N.J./Saint Joseph-Metuchen) lost for NJCU (1-1); he lasted 6.2 innings, giving up all six runs (10 hits, five walks).
 
Unglaub drove in three runs (1-for-2, one walk) while Chemis, Venturino and designated hitter Jared Ensmenger each collected two hits. DeAngelis and Chemis scored twice apiece and Chemis also walked twice as he reached base four times.
 
Four players had multiple hits for NJCU. Reinecke was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run and Berardi was 2-for-4 with two runs. Buchholz and Ruscingno were each on base three times, batting 2-for-3 with a walk.
 
Game 2: No. 3/4 Ramapo 3, New Jersey City 1
Ramapo scored twice in the sixth to break a 1-1 tie and John Doherty edged NJCU freshman right-hander Ray Liguori (Beachwood, N.J./Toms River South) in a pitcher's duel.
 
Doherty struck out eight (five walks), allowing a run and five hits in 7.2 innings before D'Andrea came on for another save—his fourth—striking out three of the five batters he faced (one walk) in 1.1 innings.
 
Liguori pitched well enough to win in his NJAC debut but suffered his first loss (2-1). In 7.1 innings, he allowed just one earned run (three total) against five hits, striking out four (three walks).
 
Unglaub was 2-for-3 for the Roadrunners who won despite not registering an RBI in the game. Ruscingno was the lone Gothic Knight with multiple hits.
 
NJCU scored its only run in the top of the second. Pulcine was hit by a pitch and Ruscingno and Reinecke walked to load the bases. With two outs, Rueger waited out a five-pitch walk to force in Pulcine.
 
RCNJ evened it in the third as Chemis walked with two away, swiped second and scored on a throwing error.
 
After NJCU had three hits and stranded two runners in the top of the sixth, Venturino singled to lead off the bottom of the inning, Walsh dropped down a sacrifice bunt, and Venturino scored all the way from first when the ball was thrown away for a two-base error. Walsh, at third after the error, later came home on a wild pitch.
 
Pulcine and Ruscingno walked in the eighth but the Knights stranded them and could only get one man on in the ninth.
 
OF NOTE:

• Zach Buchholz extends his on-base streak to 35 consecutive games. He passes 2015 senior Michael Martucci (Bayonne, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep), who had a 34-game on-base streak, for third longest in NJCU history and sixth longest ever in the NJAC. In second place at NJCU (fifth in NJAC) is teammate Eric Giordano with 38 games. The NJAC and school record is 50 straight games by Jose Fulgencio from 2007-08.
• Andrew Niech had his 17-game overall hitting streak (16 games to open the season) snapped in game one. He was 1-for-10 in the doubleheader. He now has 181 hits in 129 games.

 
#NextKnightTime:
NJCU will battle the wind and cold weather on Sunday, April 3 in non-conference action at 11 a.m. against St. Joseph's College (LI) in Patchogue, NY.