MAHWAH, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Ramapo College broke open a 2-1 game with two runs in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat the New Jersey City University baseball team, 6-2, on day two of a home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference series on April 14 at Jeff Maund Field. NJCU lost despite outhitting the Roadrunners, 8-6.
 
Ramapo, which rallied from a 3-0 deficit in the ninth inning to win in 10 innings, 5-3, in the series opener on April 13, improved to 5-3 in the NJAC and 11-14 overall with the series sweep. NJCU dropped to 9-13 overall and 1-7 in the league.
 
Ramapo sophomore starter CJ Growney (Avenel, N.J.) tossed 7.0 innings, striking out seven with one walk in the win (3-3). He gave up two runs and six hits before sophomore right-handed pitcher Kevin Foulds (Sparta, N.J.) and sophomore Greg Westhelle (Norwood, N.J.) tossed a pair of shutout relief innings.
 
NJCU lost despite junior first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) batting 3-for-4. Senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) and senior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) each drove in a run for NJCU. Junior left-handed pitcher Tyler Folger (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) started and went the first 2.0 innings, giving up two runs and two hits and was charged with the loss, before being followed by five relief pitchers.
 
No NJCU pitcher threw more than 2.1 innings because the Gothic Knights were playing their 10th game over the last seven days—a total of 90 innings in that span.
 
Junior shortstop Austin Unglaub (Sparta, N.J.) was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Junior catcher Mario Fontanella (Amston, CT) scored twice, going 1-for-2 with one RBI. Junior left fielder Joe Maugeri (Flanders, N.J.) walked twice.
 
Ramapo jumped ahead 2-0 in the third as senior center fielder Brandon Martinez (River Edge, N.J.) led off the inning with a solo homer and Fontanella grounded out to push across a second run after a single and double. NJCU cut the deficit in half to 2-1 in the third when senior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Ruscingno.
 
Ramapo increased the lead to 4-1 in the fifth on an RBI single by Unglaub and a run-scoring double by senior right fielder Rob DeAngelis (Staten Island, N.Y.). NJCU got a run back in the visitor's sixth to make it 4-2 when Ruscingno and Berardi singled back-to-back and scored on the third straight hit, a single by Coutinho. But Ramapo answered as sophomore third baseman Vincenzo Sita (Bayonne, N.J.) doubled in a run in the home sixth. A sacrifice fly by Unglaub in the sixth made it 6-2. NJCU couldn't produce a run in the final three innings.
 
OF NOTE:

• Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) moved into sole possession of 13th place in school history with 142 hits in 121 games, passing Brian Veneziano (141 hits, 1997-00) and Michael Fiorentino (141 hits, 2009-11). Next up: Sean Costello with 143 hits (1984-87) in 12th place.
• Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) now has 110 hits in 116 games. He equaled Denis Peguero (110 hits, 2001-04) and Jeff Gajewski (110 hits, 1993-96) on the all-time list in 32nd place.
• Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) still has 103 career hits in 119 games and is 40th on the career list.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU returns home on Saturday, April 15 (11:30 a.m.) to face Stockton University (11-13, 3-5 NJAC, Lost 4) in an NJAC doubleheader at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. Follow the live broadcast of game one and game two and live stats.