JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | On a memorable Senior Day where senior third/first baseman Alex Weinstein (Colonia, N.J./JFK-Iselin) put exclamation marks on two incredible single-season records and he and teammate and junior designated hitter/catcherAndrew Niech (Avenel, N.J./Colonia) became the first players in program history to each post 60 hits in the same season, it was an old reliable senior pitcher and unexpected senior hero that truly stole the show for New Jersey City University.
Straight out of a Hollywood script, senior right-handed pitcher Kevin DeMauro (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) threw a 174-pitch complete-game effort and senior right-handed pitcher Tom Colaiacovo, Jr. (Helmetta, NJ/Southern Regional), who entered the game as a second baseman, made his first plate appearance as a Gothic Knight his last—with a bases-loaded walkoff five-pitch walk as NJCU stunned Skyline Conference champion SUNY Old Westbury, 6-5, in non-conference action to close the 2015 season on May 5 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
NJCU trailed 5-2 entering the bottom of the eighth before scoring three times, all with two outs to tie it. Then in the ninth, Niech led off with a double for his program-record 40th of his career, 16th double of the season and 60th hit of the year. Senior shortstop Michael Martucci(Bayonne, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep), NJCU's new all-time leader in hits, dropped down a bunt single for the 199th of his career, beating the throw to first, and Weinstein, who earlier in the game notched his program-record 50th RBI of the season and record 21st and 22nd doubles, was intentionally walked.
And why not? Colaiacovo, an 18-appearance relief pitcher, who entered the game as a pinch runner for the first time in his only season as a Gothic Knight and later scored NJCU's first of three runs in the eighth inning, had never had a plate appearance for the program. Head coachJerry Smith's decision to be loyal to his seniors paid dividends. Colaiacovo, a left-handed hitter, waited out three straight balls from Old Westbury rookie right-hander Vinny Bieniek (Mineola, NY), and on a 3-1 pitch, took ball four outside and trotted down to first base where he was mobbed by his teammates as Niech scored the winning run.
NJCU finished the season red-hot, winning its final four games to complete a 17-20 campaign. In the final week of the season, NJCU upended CUNYAC regular season champion Staten Island and Skyline regular season champion St. Joseph's (LI)—both on the road—and this victory over an excellent Old Westbury (25-10) squad that is going to the NCAA Division III Tournament.
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