MAHWAH, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University is making a habit out of beating nationally ranked baseball teams. Rookie right-hander TOMMY TRELA (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) threw the first five and one-third innings before freshman righty NICK DEMARCO(South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) and sophomore lefty DELIO COUTINHO (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) closed the door, as the Gothic Knights upset #19/21 ranked Ramapo College on the road on April 26, in the second game of a two-day home-and home series at Jeff Maund Field.
Trailing 1-0 after five innings, NJCU earned its second win against a nationally-ranked conference opponent in 13 days by scoring twice in the top of the sixth and adding a key insurance run in the ninth en route to capturing its 17th victory of the season (17-19, 5-11 NJAC). NJCU, previously upset winners over #1 ranked Kean University in Jersey City on April 13, outhit the Roadrunners, 11-9.
Ramapo (24-9-1, 8-7-1), which won game one of the series on Thursday in Jersey City, 6-2, entered the game ranked 19th nationally by D3baseball.com and 21st by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Top 25 Poll.
NJCU's 3-4-5 hitters accounted for all three runs driven in as rookie catcher ANDREW NIECH(Avenel, NJ/Colonia) and sophomore first baseman ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) each had sixth-inning RBI singles and senior left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison)'s 135th career hit added the third run in the top of the ninth.
Trela won his second career game (2-4), his first against a conference opponent and his first game since March 11 by throwing 5.1 innings of solid control, allowing one run against seven hits while striking out four and walking two over 95 pitches.
DeMarco, who joined teammate PEDRO GARCIA (North Bergen, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) as the first two pitchers in NJCU history to make 20 appearances in the same season, continued to be a sparking middle reliever for the Knights. He inherited one runner in the sixth inning and continued doing what he does best—stranding men on bases. DeMarco, in his 20th appearance of the season—just the third pitcher in school history to make 20 appearances in one campaign—has inherited 31 runners this year and only nine have scored. In 2.0 innings hitless innings in the win, he allowed just one walk over 31 pitches.
Coutinho, having successfully recovered from a season-ending arm injury just three games into the 2012 year, notched his first collegiate save by hurling the final 1.2 innings to close out the game. He allowed two hits and struck out two while facing seven batters and throwing 26 pitches.
After Ramapo collected back-to-back two out singles in the bottom of the ninth and had the tying runs in scoring position, Coutinho struck out sophomore left fielder Kevin Kelly (Columbia, NJ/North Warren) swinging on four pitches to seal the win.
Offensively, Weinstein was 2-for-5 with one RBI and senior second baseman PETE SENYSZYN(Carteret, NJ/Carteret) added a 2-for-4 effort with a run and walk. Sophomore third basemanMICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) scored twice in a leadoff role (1-for-5). All nine batters in the starting lineup tallied at least one hit.
"It was a great team win," said second-year head coach Jerry Smith. "We've had games we won through hitting, some by pitching, some through defense and the same with our losses. But this was our most complete game. Though our offensive stats were not staggering, sometimes it better to have timely hits than scattered. We had production on a hit-and-run by Pete [Senyszyn], and two-out RBIs by ALEX WEINSTEIN and ANDREW RIVERA. We extended the lead when we needed to."
"We also minimized many of their scoring options by getting off the field in situations with two outs and the base loaded, and two outs and men on second and third. We also escaped and minimized a leadoff hit by pitch and stolen base situation with no outs and a runner on second. Winning the two-out battle is something we preach and today we won that part of the battle. Our defense was solid, and two freshmen and a sophomore on the hill responded with some big pitches in some high-stress situations against a highly-rated and good offensive opponent."
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