JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | There's a new all-time hits king in New Jersey City University baseball history and his name is Andrew Niech (Avenel, N.J./Colonia). The Gothic Knight senior captain completed a four-year journey to become the first player in the 69-year history of the program to collect 200 career hits, eclipsing the program record of 199 set a year ago, and also registered his 100th career RBI. But NJCU committed four errors that led to seven unearned runs in a 13-7 loss to the College of Staten Island in this year's edition of the 'Bayonne Bridge Series' on April 27 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
Fittingly, the record fell on a one-out, two RBI double to right center in the bottom of the fourth.Niech, who already entered the season as NJCU's all-time leader in doubles and became the extra-base hits standard bearer, increased his career totals in those categories to 48 doubles and 60 extra-base hits, while notching his 100th and 101st career RBIs on the double.
That hit, in his 146th career game, surpassed the record of 199 hits set last year by former teammate Michael Martucci (Bayonne, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) in 147 games. Niech, who has played catcher or first base much of the season, made the rare start at third base and had a first inning sacrifice fly to finish the game 1-for-4 with three RBIs.
Meanwhile, he now has 200 hits, 105 runs and 101 RBIs and becomes the third player in school history with 100 RBIs. It was the second year in a row the hits record fell against Staten Island.
A single-season record fell in the loss as well. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Anthony Keri(Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) pitched in relief for the 23rd time in 34 total games this year—breaking the single-season mark he had shared with three other pitchers. Keri ranks in the Top 10 nationally in appearances.
However, all the individual history could not change the outcome of the game as Staten Island, the CUNYAC leaders, scored six runs in the third inning when NJCU committed two errors to stake itself to a 7-1 lead and after NJCU scored five runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-6, the Dolphins plated four more runs in the fifth—three unearned.
After NJCU won last year's meeting 22-10 with 30 hits and 11 doubles, the Gothic Knights outhit CSI in this year's meeting, 16-14. But Staten Island improved to 22-12 with the win and the Knight dropped to 14-20 overall. After starting the year with a 13-6 ledger, the Gothic Knights have now lost 14 of their last 15 games.
CSI was led by right fielder Frank Smith who drove in four runs, batting 3-for-5 (one run) while second baseman Nick Delprete scored three times, batting 3-for-6. Designated hitter Frank Muzzio also scored three times with two hits (2-for-5, one RBI).
Five Gothic Knights had multiple hits with sophomore first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) and junior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) each going 3-for-5.
Sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) scored twice, batting 2-for-5. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, N.J./Saint Joseph-Metuchen)made his second start in the batting order, this time as the designated hitter, and was 2-for-4 with one run and a walk. Junior shortstop Zach Buchholz (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) added two hits (2-for-4, one RBI, one walk) and junior left fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) scored twice.
Also for CSI, catcher Frank Sconzo scored twice, batting 2-for-5 and left fielder Glenn Glennerster knocked in two runs, going 2-for-5 with a run. Center fielder Bobby Drake had two hits (2-for-5, one RBI, one run) and shortstop Joe Palmeri walked twice and scored twice.
http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2016/4/27/201604-27_BASEBALL_vs_Staten_Island.aspx