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Monday, March 27, 2006 By Mike Ballard RAPTOR OF THE WEEK In the only doubleheader of the week for the Rutgers-Camden softball team, freshman Mandi Moore led an offensive assault during a 14-0, 18-0 sweep over Keystone College March 25. Moore, who played both left field and shortstop in the twinbill, went 2-for-3 with one run and one double in each game. She had three RBIs in the opening game and five RBIs in the nightcap, including the first three of the game on a first-inning home run, the first round-tripper of her college career. She finished with eight RBIs on the day, and added a walk for good measure. BASEBALL (12-6 overall/0-0 NJAC) March UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April The Rutgers-Camden baseball team picked up a head of steam heading into New Jersey Athletic Conference play, sweeping a trio of good non-conference opponents during the week. The Raptors posted a 10-6 home victory over Gwynedd-Mercy College March 21, recorded a 4-1 win at Delaware Valley College the next day and capped their week with a 4-3, 10-inning comeback win over DeSales University March 25 in Camden. Senior catcher Nick Turekian (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill West) ripped a one-out, two-run game-winning double in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the Scarlet Raptors past DeSales. Rutgers-Camden improved to 12-6 with its fifth straight win. DeSales, which was ranked No. 19 nationally in the pre-season Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division III poll, fell to 5-6. After DeSales took a lead in the top of the 10th on an RBI single by junior designated hitter Luke Pisker, the Raptors rallied for two runs in the bottom of the frame to win the wild game. Junior center fielder Nate Buchter (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) drew a leadoff walk and raced to third on a one-out double by junior left fielder Mike Morris (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township). After senior designated hitter Nick Faragasso (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) was intentionally walked to load the bases, Turekian delivered his game-winning double to right field. Turekian’s hit gave freshman southpaw Damien Wright (Millville, NJ/Millville) his first collegiate victory to go along with a pair of saves. Wright, 1-0, worked 2-1/3 innings in relief of junior starter Jason Ronca (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional), allowing two hits, one earned run and one walk. Ronca worked 7-2/3 innings, allowing six hits, two walks and two earned runs, while striking out seven. Sophomore Mike Concilio, the third Bulldog pitcher, took the loss. Concilio, 1-1, worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing two hits, two walks and two earned runs. He struck out one. DeSales scored in the top of the first inning on a one-out double by sophomore left fielder Andrew Heard and a run-scoring single by Pisker. The Bulldogs tacked on another run in the fourth when Pisker singled and scored on a double by sophomore first baseman Scott Matejicka. Rutgers-Camden cut the gap in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore second baseman Joe Ambrozy (Haddon Township, NJ/Bishop Eustace) singled, advanced on a single by Buchter and scored on a base hit by senior first baseman Matt Calloway (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional). The Scarlet Raptors tied the game in the seventh when Morris singled, advanced to third on a single by Faragasso and scored on Turekian’s ground out. DeSales took its lead in the top of the 10th on a walk to freshman shortstop Greg Treat, a sacrifice and consecutive singles by Heard and Pisker. Pisker went 4-for-5 with one run and two RBIs for DeSales, while Heard was 3-for-5 with one run. For the Scarlet Raptors, Buchter went 2-for-3 with one run to extend his hitting streak to 14 games and raise his batting average to .431. Morris went 2-for-5 with two runs, while Turekian had the game-winning double and three RBIs. In the win at Delaware Valley College, Buchter went 3-for-3 with one run and two RBIs as Rutgers-Camden defeated the Aggies, 4-1, March 22 in Doylestown, PA. The Scarlet Raptors scored the only run of the first seven innings when they struck for a lone tally in the top of the third inning. Ambrozy hit a wind-blown two-out double and scored on a single by Buchter. Rutgers-Camden senior starter Tom Ford (Laurel Springs, NJ/Paul VI) made that lone run stand up until his teammates added three more tallies in the top of the eighth inning. Ambrozy reached on a fielder’s choice following a leadoff walk by senior shortstop Brian Jakubowski (Audubon, NJ/Audubon). Buchter doubled home Ambrozy and scored on a single by junior designated hitter Butch Amato (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI). After Amato stole second and advanced on a throwing error, he trotted home on a double by Morris. It was the third double in two days for the red-hot Morris, who had a pair of two-baggers in a win over Gwynedd-Mercy College March 21. The Aggies’ lone run came in the bottom of the eighth after a one-out single by senior Steve Kinney, who eventually scored on a wild pitch. Ford collected the victory to raise his record to 4-0. He worked 7-1/3 innings, scattering nine hits and two walks. He struck out three and allowed only the one earned run. He was relieved by freshman Pat Faulls (Laurel Springs, NJ/Highland Regional), who finished up the eighth inning, working 2/3 of an inning and walking two. Wright hurled a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit, to earn his second save of the year. Delaware Valley College used seven different pitchers, with freshman Rob Galdieri getting the loss to drop to 0-2. He allowed two hits and one earned run while striking out one in one inning. The Raptors started the week with the win over Gwynedd-Mercy as Morris went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI and Turekian went 2-for-4 with one run and four RBIs. After building a 5-0 lead and watching Gwynedd-Mercy rally to tie the game with a five-run fifth, the Scarlet Raptors took the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one out, Griffins reliever Joe Harris issued three consecutive walks to Buchter, Calloway and Morris. Harris was replaced by sophomore Kyle Reynolds, and Faragasso greeted him with a sacrifice fly. Turekian plated two insurance runs with a single. Nursing a 9-6 lead in the top of the eighth inning, the Raptors saw Gwynedd-Mercy load the bases on a pair of walks and a two-out infield error. Reliever John Gladden (Sicklerville, NJ/Winslow Township) worked out of that jam with the aid of an outstanding play by Ambrozy at second base. Ambrozy robbed junior right fielder Anthony Capella of a single up the middle and turned it into an inning-ending ground out. Gladden worked the final 1-2/3 innings, allowing no hits, no runs and no walks, while striking out one. He earned his second save of the year. Sophomore starter Andrew Lihotz (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) picked up the win, working six innings, allowing eight hits, six runs (five earned) and four walks. He evened his record at 2-2. Harris (0-1) took the loss for Gwynedd-Mercy, walking three and allowing three earned runs in 1/3 of an inning. The Scarlet Raptors jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning following a leadoff single by Jakubowski. He was sacrificed to second by Ambrozy and scored on a two-out single by Calloway. Morris followed with an RBI double to right field, the first of his two doubles on the day. The Raptors added three runs in the fourth, sparked by a leadoff hustle double by Morris and a walk to Faragasso. Turekian ripped a two-run triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by freshman right fielder Ian King (Riverside, NJ/Riverside). Gwynedd-Mercy bounced right back with a five-run fifth inning to tie the game. The Griffins loaded by bases on a double by freshman designated hitter Nick DiEnno, a single by junior catcher J.B. Meadows and a walk to sophomore center fielder Kurt Bruehl. Freshman shortstop Ken Bengtson hit a two-run single to left and Bruehl scored on a wild pitch. Bengtson scored on a single by sophomore second baseman Mark Mattes, who stole second, advanced on a ground out and scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by senior third baseman Troy Peiffer. SOFTBALL (12-4 overall/0-0 NJAC) March Tue. 31 John Jay College of Criminal Justice (doubleheader), ppd. to March 31 UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Fri. 31 John Jay College of Criminal Justice (doubleheader) 3 p.m. April The Rutgers-Camden softball team saw their scheduled home-opening doubleheader postponed due to the weather last week, but they opened their home slate with an impressive fireworks display instead. After watching their John Jay doubleheader be postponed from March 21 to March 31, the Lady Raptors opened up their offense and displayed their pitching depth against Keystone College March 25. They overwhelmed the Giants, 14-0 and 18-0 in a pair of five-inning games, sparked by a perfect game in the opener from senior hurler Michelle Schlichtig (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights). The Lady Raptors, ranked No. 9 in the pre-season National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III poll, improve to 12-4, while Keystone falls to 0-9. Schlichtig was in control the whole way en route to the fourth no-hitter, and first perfect game, of her Lady Raptor career. It was the first no-hitter at Rutgers-Camden since Becky Johnson hurled one in the nightcap of a double no-hitter against Malloy College March 18, 2005. Schlichtig had hurled a no-hitter in the opening game. Schlichtig’s gem also was the first perfect game for the Lady Raptors since Lindsay Creaney threw one against New Jersey City University April 27, 2002. It was the fourth perfect game in the program’s history. Schlichtig struck out the first nine batters she faced before junior center fielder Megan Giannetto flied out to left field and senior pitcher Jackie Barranco popped to first base. Schlichtig ended the game with four straight strikeouts to total 13 for the contest. Rutgers-Camden, meanwhile, scored 10 runs in the first inning, all but one of them unearned, aided by three hits, one error, four walks and two hit batsmen. Lady Raptor sophomore first baseman Kathleen Dreitlein (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston) was hit twice in the frame. The big frame started on one-out walks to junior right fielder Autumn Millett (Richwood, NJ/Clearview Regional) and Schlichtig, who tied a single-game program record by drawing four walks in the game. Junior catcher Mo Baney (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) reached on a dropped fly ball in right field, plating Millett. After Dreitlein was hit for the first time, junior third baseman (Medford, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) stroked an RBI single to right and junior shortstop Alaina Giles (Willingboro, NJ/Holy Cross) followed with a sacrifice fly. Two more runs scored on a single to center by freshman left fielder Mandi Moore (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddon Township). After a walk to freshman second baseman Heather Pohorely (Lebanon, NJ/Hunterdon Central) and a single by freshman center fielder Marissa Van Cleef (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough), Millett and Schlichtig each picked up RBI walks. Baney reached first by striking out on a wild pitch, plating another run, and Dreitlein forced home a run when she was hit again. The Raptors added a two-run double by Millett in the second inning and plated single runs in the third and fourth innings. For the game, Moore went 2-for-3 with one run and three RBIs, while Van Cleef went 2-for-4 with two runs. Millett collected three RBIs and Dreitlein had two. In the nightcap, the Raptors split pitching duties between freshmen Natalie Powell (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), sophomore Therese Taraschi (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) and freshman Nancy Nkumsah (Townsend, DE/Pennsauken), with Taraschi allowing the only hit of the day, a leadoff double in the fourth by Giannetto. Rutgers-Camden put the game away with a seven-run first inning, highlighted by a three-run home run from Moore. Later in the game, Powell hit a three-run home run and Dreitlein and freshman Heather Taylor (Clementon, NJ/Overbrook) each added solo home runs. The four home runs tied a single-game program record set during a 20-0 victory at Rutgers-Newark in the first game of a doubleheader sweep April 9, 2005. For the game, Moore went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and five RBIs. Taylor went 2-for-3 with four runs and three RBIs in the team’s 14-hit attack. Powell collected three RBIs with her home run, in addition to throwing two perfect innings and collecting the win on the mound in a pre-determined pitching split. She struck out two batters while raising her record to 2-0. GOLF March Tue. 21 Dickinson College Invitational, cancelled UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April Mon. 3 Lebanon Valley College Invitational 12:30 p.m. Thur. 6 Susquehanna University Tee-Off Tournament 1 p.m. Thur. 13 Widener University Invitational 12 p.m. Mon. 17 Franklin & Marshall College Invitational 1 p.m. The Rutgers-Camden golf team was forced to get a late start on its spring season when inclement weather cancelled its scheduled opener at the Dickinson College Invitational March 21. Head Coach Bob Cardea’s team will open its season April 3 at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational. TRACK AND FIELD March 25 at Richard Stockton Invitational NO TEAM SCORES Rutgers-Camden School Records: * Men’s Distance Medley Relay (Travis Stewart, Patrick Eigbe, Darryl Mendillo, Jonathan Salamon), 11:34.62 (Old: 11:40.42, Tom Thomasson, Russell Panetta, Jepheth White, Manfred Amissah at William Paterson, April 3, 1999) UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April Sat. 1 Danny Curran Invitational 10 a.m. Sat. 8 Osprey Open 10 a.m. Wed. 12 Lebanon Valley College Invitational 3:30 p.m. Sat. 15 New Jersey Invitational 9 a.m. Sat. 22 East Stroudsburg University Invitational TBA Thur. 27- Penn Relays TBA Sat. 29 (at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA) Sat. 29 Lions Invitational 10:30 a.m. May Sat. 6 New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships TBA The Rutgers University-Camden men’s distance medley relay team set a program record as the Scarlet Raptors opened the spring season by competing in the Richard Stockton Invitational at Richard Stockton College here March 25. The Raptors’ team of freshman Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional), sophomores Patrick Eigbe Jr. (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and Darryl Mendillo (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and freshman anchor Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) ran the distance medley in a time of 11:34.62 to finish first. They broke the school mark of 11:40.42 set by Tom Thomasson, Russell Panetta, Jepheth White and Manfred Amissah at William Paterson University April 3, 1999. In addition to the distance medley relay, Rutgers-Camden senior Carmen Zimmitt (Woodstown, NJ/Woodstown) also notched a first-place finish with a leap of 5.15 meters in the long jump. Zimmitt also finished second in the triple jump (10.63 meters). Also competing for the Rutgers-Camden women were sophomores Rachel McCormick (Blue Anchor, NJ/Winslow Township) and Jessica Hull (Sicklerville, NJ/Fairton Christian Center and Academy). McCormick finished fifth in her 800-meter heat (2:59.71) and sixth in her 1,500-meter heat (6:13.75). Hull, meanwhile, was fourth in her heat for the 400 meters (1:18.30). On the men’s side, freshman Kevin Dukes (Pitman, NJ/Pitman) finished seventh in his 110-meter high hurdle heat (20.69). Eigbe was fourth in his heat for the 100-meter dash (12.32), while sophomore Michael McClain (Sewell, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) was fifth in his 100-meter heat (14.19) and seventh in the long jump (5.07 meters). Mendillo finished third in his heat at 400 meters (54.79) and Stewart was fourth in his 1,500-meter heat (4:22.18). CREW March Sat. 25 Murphy Cup Regatta (Schuylkill River, Philadelphia) Women’s Varsity Four 1. American A, 7:57.61; 2. Rutgers-Camden, 8:12.72; 3. SUNY-Geneseo, 8:28.49; 4. New York University, 8:32.79; 5. Susquehanna, 8:42.88; 6. United States Merchant Marine Academy, 8:48.27. (cox-Renee Martin; stroke-Nicole Corl; 3-Laura Williams; 2-Monica Fleming; bow-Traci Arnold) Women’s Division II/III Varsity Eight Heat 1. Dowling, 7:19.19; 2. Skidmore, 7:26.13; 3. Rutgers-Camden, 7:43.65; 4. Bryn Mawr B, 8:01.05. Final 1. Dowling, 7:22.85; 2. Bryn Mawr A, 7:30.04; 3. Skidmore, 7:32.61; 4. Rutgers-Camden, 7:43.61; 5. Susquehanna, 7:50.20; DNS – Miami Ohio. (cox-Michelle Sanchirico; stroke-Nicole Corl; 7-Laura Williams; 6-Renee Martin; 5-Cynthia Burt; 4-Monica Fleming; 3-Regina Williams; 2-Rachel Negro; bow-Traci Arnold) Men’s Varsity Four (Heat) 1. Pittsburgh A, 6:58.16; 2. George Washington, 7:04.29; 3. United States Merchant Marine Academy, 7:22.72; 4. Stony Brook, 7:36.56; 5. Skidmore B, 7:43.38; 6. Rutgers-Camden, 7:46.82. Men’s Varsity Pair (Final) 1. Lehigh, 7:51.75; 2. Loyola, 8:08.01; 3. Rutgers-Camden, 8:14.76; 4. Carnegie Mellon, 8:26.42. UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April Sat. 1 Bryn Mawr College . The Rutgers University-Camden women’s crew team finished fourth in the final of the Women’s Division II/III Varsity Eight race as the Lady Raptors opened their spring season March 25 at the Murphy Cup Regatta, held on the Schuylkill River. The Lady Raptors’ Varsity Eight team finished third in its heat (7:43.65) to qualify for the final, where it posted a 7:43.61 time in a fourth-place finish. Members of that boat were sophomore coxswain Michelle Sanchirico (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep), senior stroke Nicole Corl (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), sophomore 7-seat Laura Williams (Cherry Hill, NJ/home schooled), junior 6-seat Renee Martin (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest), junior 5-seat Cynthia Burt (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford), sophomore 4-seat Monica Fleming (Collingswood, NJ/Collingswood), freshman 3-seat Regina Williams (Cherry Hill, NJ/home schooled), freshman 2-seat Rachel Negro (Audubon, NJ/Paul VI) and sophomore bow Traci Arnold (Pitman, NJ/Pitman). The Lady Raptors also finished second in their heat of the Women’s Varsity Four, posting a time of 8:12.72 with a team of coxswain Martin, stroke Corl, 3-seat Laura Williams, 2-seat Fleming and bow Arnold. Rutgers-Camden’s men’s club team also competed at the Murphy Cup, finishing sixth in the Men’s Varsity Four heat (7:46.82) and third in the Men’s Varsity Pair final (8:14.76). Members of the Varsity Four were junior cox BJ Ochal (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic), junior stroke Lou Gallagher (Florence, NJ/Holy Cross), junior 3-seat Anthony Bertolotti (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown), junior 2-seat Sean Kendall (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Township) and senior bow Chris Piligno (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown). The Men’s Varsity Pair consisted of stroke Gallagher and bow Piligno. |
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