SOURCE: http://njcugothicknights.com/news/2017/4/8/201704-08_BASEBALL_at_William_Paterson.aspx

WAYNE, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University had a two-run lead in both games before William Paterson University rallied in each contest to sweep a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader, 6-5 and 6-3 on April 8 at Jeff Albies Field. NJCU outhit the Pioneers in each game in its first field action in a week.
 
In the losses, senior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) had a hit in each game and his two-out RBI triple in the first inning of game two was the 100th hit of his career. He becomes the 41st member of NJCU's 100-hit club.
 
Junior designated hitter/first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) had a big day, going a combined 4-for-8 in the doubleheader with four RBIs and three doubles. Senior designated hitter Mike Abate (Wayne, N.J.) scored four runs for WP, batting 3-for-6 with two doubles on the day. Senior right-handed pitcher Frank Colasante (Paramus, N.J.) earned a save in both ends of the doubleheader—his third and fourth of the season.
 
NJCU, which will play doubleheaders on three consecutive days from April 8-10 due to multiple and continual weather-related postponements, and 12 games in an eight-day span, dropped to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in the NJAC. The Pioneers are 11-9-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference.
 
Game 1: William Paterson 6, New Jersey City 5
In the opener, NJCU scored twice in the third to tie it (3-3) and two more in the fifth for a 5-3 lead. But William Paterson plated three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth and held the Gothic Knights scoreless for the final four innings—retiring the final 13 NJCU batters to escape with a 6-5 win.
 
NJCU outhit the Pioneers, 6-5, and recovered from a 3-0 deficit after one inning, but its pitchers walked nine batters in the game and two errors led to four unearned runs.
 
Junior designated hitter Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) had a big effort, batting 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including a pair of doubles, and one steal.
 
Senior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) was 1-for-3 and scored two runs while senior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Colonia, N.J./JFK Memorial-Iselin) walked twice. Freshman first baseman Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) (Edison, N.J./Edison), this week's NJAC Rookie Player of the Week, batted 1-for-4 with one RBI.
   Three of Dan Berardi's four hits on the day were doubles.
For WP, the first two batters in the lineup, Abate and senior left fielder Mike Rowe (Cedar Grove, N.J.) each scored twice. Abate, the leadoff hitter, drew three walks and was 1-for-2. No Pioneer had more than one hit and WP only produced two RBIs.
 
Junior righty Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J.) earned the win in relief (1-2). The second of three pitchers used, in 4.2 innings, he allowed two runs on four hits with one strikeout and a pair of walks. Colasante nailed down a two-inning save, retiring all six batters he faced (one strikeout).
 
After NJCU's starter allowed four hits to the first five batters, sophomore righty Corey Nase (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) entered in relief and tossed three no-hit innings. He struck out one and walked just two. Sophomore lefty Kyle Kafer (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) threw the final five innings but suffered the loss without giving up an earned run. All runs in the sixth inning were unearned. He struck out three but walked seven.
 
After WP scored three runs in the first inning, including a bases-loaded hit by pitch and another on an error, NJCU began chipping away. A one-out RBI double in the second inning by Berardi drove in Reinecke who walked. NJCU tied it at 3-3 in the third. Buchholz and senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) walked. An RBI single by Gomez plated a run and after a third walk in the inning, Berardi knocked in the tying run with an RBI single before NJCU left the bags full.
 
NJCU moved ahead 5-3 in the fifth. Coutinho and senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) singled with one out and Berardi deposited a two-run double to center to put the Knights on top.
 
But WP answered in the sixth. With two outs and one on, the Pioneers drew back-to-back walk to load the bases and a three-base error in left field saw William Paterson turn a two-run deficit into a 6-5 lead. The Knights were retired in order in the final four innings.
 
Game 2: William Paterson 6, New Jersey City 3
NJCU led 2-0 after the first inning but the Pioneers tied it in the second, went ahead with two more in the third and extended the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth. The Knights outhit WP, 9-8, in the loss.
 
After catching game one, senior CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) was NJCU's lone player with multiple hits, batting 2-for-4 while being moved to the top of the order. Gomez, Coutinho and Buchholz each had RBIs for NJCU.
 
Sophomore righty Corey Martinez (River Edge, N.J.) improved to 4-0 for WP. In seven innings, he struck out four, walked none and allowed three runs and nine hits. Freshman lefty Zach Polzer (North Haledon, N.J.) struck out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth and Colasante again retired NJCU in order in the ninth for the save.
 
Abate was 2-for-4 with two runs at the top of the WP order. Senior first baseman Eriq Colon (Hackensack, N.J.) was 1-for-2 with a homer, two runs and two RBIs. Senior designated hitter Mike Knauf (Manalapan, N.J.) knocked in two runs and junior catcher Jorge Solodkin (Short Hills, N.J.) had two hits.
   Corey Nase tossed three no-hit innings in game one.
Junior lefty Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen) (Old Bridge, N.J./Saint Joseph-Metuchen) came into a 2-2 game as NJCU's 'leveraged starter' and went the final 6.2 innings. He struck out five and walked two, but suffered the loss (1-2), allowing four runs and six hits.
 
NJCU jumped in front in the first when freshman left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) singled with one out, Ruscingno doubled and Gomez pushed in a run with a ground ball. With two outs, Coutinho tripled to right center to score Ruscingno for a 2-0 lead with his 100th career hit.
 
WP tied it in the second on an RBI double by Knauf and an RBI single by freshman shortstop Matt Ferrara (Paramus, N.J.) then went ahead for good when Colon hit a two-run, two-out home run in the third—his fourth of the year—for a 4-2 lead. Ramirez struck out three in the inning. The Pioneers added two more in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Abate and junior Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J.) before a sacrifice fly by Knauf. NJCU got a run back in the seventh on an RBI single by Buchholz but couldn't produce again.
 
OF NOTE:

• Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) upped his career hits total to 134 in 114 games. He matched Romano Lake (134 hits, 1987-90) for 18th place in program history. Next up: Eric Martinez (135 hits, 1996-98, 16th place) and Andrew Rivera (135 hits, 2010-13, 16th place).
• Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) now has 100 career hits in 108 games. He extended his on-base streak to 17 games dating to last season and a 2017 active 10-game hitting streak. He became the sixth player to join the 100-hit club in Jerry Smith's six years as head coach, including three of the top six on the list and the No. 1 and No. 2 all-time hitters.
• Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) now has 96 career hits in 112 games. He looks to become the 42nd member of the NJCU 100 hit club.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
After 10 consecutive postponements of potential home openers, NJCU will finally play a home game in Jersey City at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on Sunday, April 9 at 11:30 a.m. In a makeup of what was supposed to be a road game at Rutgers-Newark on Thursday and a home game on Friday, both of which were rained out, NJCU will host Rutgers-Newark (13-5, 2-2 NJAC, Won 3) in a combined home doubleheader. Follow live stats.