Game #1 Box Score
Game #2 Box Score
JERSEY CITY, NJ.Junior left-hander Bob Buskett (Trenton, NJ/Notre Dame) allowed six hits in a game one victory, and junior righty Mike Oliver (Crosswicks, NJ/Hamilton West) tossed a complete-game two-hit shutout in the nightcap as The College of New Jersey, ranked tied for 13th in Division III
in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association national poll, swept a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader from New Jersey City University, 12-1 and 7-0, Saturday at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
With the wins, TCNJ improves to 16-7 overall and 4-3 in the NJAC. The Knights (10-13, 1-6 NJAC) drop their fourth straight.
*************GAME 1: #13 The College of New Jersey 12, NJCU 1*************
Buskett earned the win for the Lions in the opener to improve to 3-0 on the season. In 8.0 innings, he allowed one earned run and just six hits, striking out seven and walking none over 85 pitches.
Senior first baseman Blake Bullis (Delran, NJ/Delran) was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and one run, while sophomore shortstop Jeff Toth (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville) was 3-for-5 with two runs, one RBI and a triple.
Senior rightfielder PJ Anzelone (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township) scored four runs and walked three times for TCNJ, which left 10 on base. Senior third baseman Matt Zonies (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Junior shortstop JOSE FULGENCIO (Bronx, NY/San Rafael, Dominican Republic) was NJCU’s lone player with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games. He manufactured NJCU’s lone run in the eighth inning when he stole home-his 15th steal in 16 attempts this year.
The Lions scored at least one run in every inning except the sixth and eighth, adding four in the third and three in the ninth, to go along with 13 hits.
Junior right-hander JOSE SOTOMAYOR (Jersey City, NJ/Lincoln) suffered his first loss of the season (2-1), allowing six earned runs and seven hits, walking three in three innings. Senior left-hander MIKE ESPIN (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) did not allow a hit in 1.1 innings of relief, walking two.
*************GAME 2: #13 The College of New Jersey 7, NJCU 0*************
Much of game two was a pitchers’ duel between Oliver and NJCU junior right-hander BALDWIN VARGAS (New York, NY/Alfred Smith (NY)), as neither school registered a hit until the fifth inning. Vargas had a no-hitter going until one out in the sixth.
Oliver improved to 2-0, striking out 10 versus one walk, while allowing two singles in his complete-game 93-pitch shutout. Vargas suffered the loss (2-3), allowing only two earned runs (seven total) and five hits, including four singles over 8.0 innings. He struck out six and walked five, and the Knights committed five errors behind him.
TCNJ, which had only seven hits, received a 2-for-4 showing from Toth, who had one run and one RBI, while junior catcher Bill Kropp (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) had two RBIs in a 1-for-3 showing. Senior second baseman Andrew Cosgrove (Lebanon, NJ/North Hunterdon) scored twice for TCNJ.
In a battle of pro-prospects, Vargas was able to limit reigning two-time First-Team All-America catcher/designated hitter Gerard Haran (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) to a 0-for-3 effort with two strikeouts.
Fulgencio went 1-for-3 for the Knights to extend his hitting streak to 13 straight. But the Knights were retired in order in six of the nine innings, and did not advance a runner past second base. Junior righty RAMADAN MEHMEDI (Sparta, NJ/Sparta) pitched a solid ninth inning in relief for NJCU, allowing no runs and just two hits, with one strikeout.
TCNJ scored the eventual winning run in the fourth inning on two NJCU throwing errors, before adding two runs in the sixth. The Lions added a single run in the seventh before capping their win with three more in the eighth.
