NEWARK, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Rutgers-Newark starting pitching combined for 16 strikeouts in 17 innings and despite scoring in only three innings during the two nine-inning contests, the offense was enough as the Scarlet Raiders swept the 2012 New Jersey Athletic Conference opening doubleheader from New Jersey City University, 4-0 and 4-2, in games played on Sunday and Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
 
Rutgers-Newark (11-7, 2-0 NJAC) extended its winning streak to six straight while defeating NJCU (8-11, 0-2 NJAC) for the fourth straight meeting. NJCU dropped its fourth straight game. The Gothic Knights have lost five times by two runs or less this year and seven times by four or fewer.

In the opening game, junior right-hander Kyle Van Vliet (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock), a past NJAC Pitcher of the Week, solidified his candidacy for a second award in a complete-game, 123-pitch shutout, with nine strikeouts and no walks while improving to 5-1 overall. He scattered five singles and faced just three batters over the minimum while notching his fourth complete game.
 
In the nightcap, senior righty Connor Medler (Edison, NJ/JP Stevens), also an NJAC Pitcher of the Week pick in 2012, earned his third win (3-3) while striking out seven without issuing a walk in a 94-pitch, eight-inning effort. He allowed one earned run (two total) and seven hits before senior righty Nick Evans (Montvale, NJ/Pascack Hills)claimed his fifth save of the year in a nine-pitch, 1-2-3 ninth inning.
 
The losses spoiled two fine performances from Gothic Knight senior righty NELSON MALDONADO (Newark, NJ/St. Mary's (Jersey City)) and junior righty WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep).
 
Maldonado (1-2) allowed only two earned runs (three total) and six hits in 7.0 innings, with three strikeouts and one walk over 111 pitches.
 
Maldonado moved into third place in school history in career strikeouts with 129, passing Hall-of-Famer Alberto Cajide who pitched in the 1974 and 1975 seasons before signing with the Cleveland Indians. Maldonado also moved into sixth place in school history in career starts (25) and 10^th in appearances (37).
 
Rodriguez (2-3) tossed his second complete game of the season over 99 pitches in 8.0 innings. He allowed four runs—all in the first inning of game two—before holding R-N off the board the rest of the contest, allowing seven hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

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