By Mike Ballard
RutgersCamden Sports Correspondent
RAPTOR OF THE WEEK
Michelle Schlichtig (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights)
A 6-0 no-hitter against Swarthmore College April 8, in which she missed a perfect game on the last batter, was the highlight of a sensational week for Michelle Schlichtig, who struck out 17 in hurling the eighth no-hitter in program history. The lone batter to reach base came on a two-out error in the seventh inning. Schlichtig also won both ends of a doubleheader at Kean University April 10, including an 8-0 shutout, and finished her week with a 3-1 record and only one earned run allowed in 27 innings (0.26 ERA). She struck out 40 and walked only one. She also hit .471 (8-for-17) during the week.
SOFTBALL (21-4/8-2)
Mon., April 5 Gwynedd-Mercy College (doubleheader) ppd.
Tues., April 6 Rowan University 1-2, Rutgers-Camden 0-0
Thur., April 8 Rutgers-Camden 6, Swarthmore College 0
Sat., April 10 Rutgers-Camden 8-5, Kean University 0-2
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Mon., April 12 Gwynedd-Mercy College (doubleheader) 5 p.m.
Tues., April 13 The College of New Jersey (doubleheader) 3 p.m.
Wed., April 14 Wesley College (doubleheader) 5 p.m.
Sat., April 17 Montclair State University (doubleheader) 1 p.m.
Sophomore Michelle Schlichtig (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) put on a pitching clinic last week for the Rutgers-Camden softball team, compiling a 3-1 record as the Lady Raptors posted a 3-2 week. Schlichtig’s week included a no-hitter, a pair of shutouts, a 0.26 ERA and 40 strikeouts (with only one walk) in 27 innings pitched.
The highlight of her sterling week came in a 6-0 non-conference no-hitter against Swarthmore College April 8. She missed a perfect game when the 21st batter reached on an error. Schlichtig struck out 17.
The game was played in a steady rain, forcing the cancellation of the scheduled second contest.
Schlichtig was in control as she came within one out of throwing the first seven-inning perfect game in program history. There have been three five-inning perfect games at Rutgers-Camden.
With two outs in the seventh inning, Swarthmore’s sophomore second baseman Danielle Miller poked an opposite-field looper into short right field. Scarlet Raptors right fielder Autumn Millett (Richwood, NJ/Clearview Regional) tried to make the throw to first base, but threw the wet ball wildly for an error as Miller reached base.
Miller advanced to second on a wild pitch before Schlichtig ended the game by striking out sophomore catcher Christina Procacci, the only player she hadn’t fanned all day. Procacci had fouled to third in the second inning in becoming the only player of the first 12 outs not to be retired by strikeout. She ended that run of 11 strikeouts in 12 batters – including eight straight -- by popping to short in the fifth inning.
Schlichtig’s 17 strikeouts allowed her to tie Hallie Jones for second place on the program’s single-game strikeout chart. Jones had a pair of 17-strikeout games in 1985. The school record of 19 strikeouts was set by Sarah O’Malley on March 29, 2001 in Game One against Centenary College.
Schlichtig’s no-hitter was the first at Rutgers-Camden since O’Malley no-hit D’Youville College, winning 7-0 in the first game of a March 22, 2003 doubleheader. The masterpiece was the eighth no-hitter in school history, and raised Schlichtig’s record to 10-3 on the season.
The Lady Raptors scored all the runs Schlichtig needed with a three-run first inning, sparked by a two-out infield single by junior shortstop Celeste Chinappi (Bellmawr, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). Millett drilled a single to right field and junior designated player Becky Johnson (Bridgeton, NJ/Cumberland Regional) ripped a two-run double to left. Johnson scored on a single to right by freshman first baseman Ashley O’Brien (Phoenixville, PA/Spring Ford).
Back-to-back doubles by Schlichtig and freshman catcher Mo Baney (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) produced a run in the fourth inning, and back-to-back doubles by Johnson and O’Brien plated a fifth-inning run. The Lady Raptors scored their final run in the sixth inning on a double by Schlichtig, a wild pitch and Chinappi’s sacrifice fly to center field.
In addition to her masterpiece on the mound, Schlichtig went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Chinappi, Millett, Johnson and O’Brien each added two hits apiece off Garnet starting and losing pitcher Emily Remus. Reumus, 2-8, allowed 12 hits, six earned runs and one walk, while fanning five.
Six of the Rutgers-Camden hits were doubles, including two apiece by Schlichtig and Johnson.
Two days later, Schlichtig did double duty in a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader sweep at Kean University. She hurled a three-hit shutout in the first game and scattered seven hits in winning the nightcap as the Lady Raptors defeated the Cougars, 8-0 and 5-2.
The two victories gave Rutgers-Camden a 21-4 record overall, marking the third consecutive year the Lady Raptors have reached the 20-win plateau – the only times it has been done in the history of the program, which started in 1979. The Raptors are 8-2 in NJAC play.
Schlichtig, who raised her record to 12-3, didn’t walk a batter in her 14 innings of work. She struck out 17 and allowed only one earned run.
In the opening game, Rutgers-Camden scored all the runs Schlichtig needed with a three-run second inning. With one out, Baney and junior center fielder Beth Laputka (Berlin, NJ/Overbrook) both reached on infield singles, and Baney advanced to third on an error. Junior left fielder Erin James (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) singled home Baney, and advanced to second on an error. Laputka advanced to third, and both players scored on a single by freshman second baseman Stacy Haas (Florence, NJ/Florence).
With two outs in the third inning, O’Brien ripped a solo home run to left-center field for her second round-tripper of the year.
The Scarlet Raptors tacked on four more runs in the top of the seventh inning with back-to-back home runs, including a three-run shot by Millett and a solo shot by Johnson. Millett’s home run was her sixth. Johnson’s was her seventh, allowing her to tie the single-season school mark that she reached last season and shares with Shannon Ireland (2001).
Chinappi went 3-for-4 with one run scored in the opener, while Johnson, O’Brien and James each added two hits. Millett had three RBIs and Haas added two.
Schlichtig struck out eight in her three-hit shutout, giving her seven shutouts for the year.
In the nightcap, Schlichtig struck out nine and helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. She led off the bottom of the first inning with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice bunt by Chinappi. With two outs, a pair of errors and three singles plated three more runs, with O’Brien driving home two runs and Baney adding one RBI with singles.
The Cougars notched two runs, including an unearned tally in the second, but managed nothing else off Schlichtig. The Lady Raptors tacked on their final run on Chinappi’s RBI single in the fifth.
Chinappi went 2-for-2 in the nightcap to finish the day 5-for-6.
Rutgers-Camden started its week with a 1-0, 2-0 doubleheader loss at Rowan University April 6. The Profs, ranked No. 14 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III Top 25, rode the shutout pitching of sophomore Colleen Oswald and junior Sara Dickey.
Oswald fired a four-hitter, with one walk and seven strikeouts in the opener as she won a pitchers’ duel with Schlichtig, who allowed six hits, one walk and one unearned run, while striking out six. It was the third 1-0 loss for Schlichtig this season, with two coming on unearned runs.
Dickey tossed a six-hitter, with no walks or strikeouts, in the second game as she out-dueled the Lady Raptors’ Johnson, who allowed four hits, two walks and one earned run while striking out four. Johnson, who suffered her first defeat to fall to 9-1, also saw her string of five shutouts come to an end. When the Profs scored their first run with two outs in the second inning, it also snapped her consecutive scoreless inning string at 33, which tied the program record held by Sarah O’Malley (2002) and Hallie Jones (1985).
Earlier in the day, Johnson had been named the ECAC Metro Pitcher of the Week.
Rowan scored the lone run of the first game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior catcher Lisa Schmied reached base on an infield error. Junior center fielder Nicole Panikiewsky followed with a bunt, and Schlichtig overthrew second base, allowing Schmied to score the winning run.
In the first game, Haas and Millett each went 2-for-3 for the Lady Raptors.
In the nightcap, Rowan broke Johnson’s scoreless streak after a two-out single in the second inning by senior first baseman Crystal Barbour. Freshman second baseman Jamie Assini and sophomore shortstop Casey Bartolf followed with singles, with Bartolf’s hit plating Barbour.
In the third inning, sophomore third baseman Danielle Schgweers drew a leadoff walk and Schmied reached base on an error. Panikiewsky sacrificed both runners up a base, and Schweers scored on an errant throw by the Raptors’ catcher past third base.
Assini had two hits in the second game for the Profs. O;Brien went 2-for-3 for the Lady Raptors.
BASEBALL (11-13-1/2-5)
Tues., April 6 John Jay College 9, Rutgers-Camden 8
Thurs., April 8 The College of New Jersey 6, Rutgers-Camden 2
Fri., April 9 Rutgers-Camden 7, Richard Stockton College 0
Sat., April 10 Montclair State University 7-12, Rutgers-Camden 5-3
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tues., April 13 at Gwynedd-Mercy College 3 p.m.
Thurs., April 15 The College of New Jersey 3:30 p.m.
Fri., April 16 at Richard Stockton College 3:30 p.m.
Sophomore right-hander Tom Ford (Laurel Springs, NJ/Paul VI) provided the brightest spot in a tough 1-4 week for the Scarlet Raptors. Ford hurled a five-hitter, striking out seven and allowing no walks, to collect his first career shutout as Rutgers-Camden defeated Richard Stockton College, 7-0, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game April 9.
Ford was in control throughout the game, as the Ospreys collected back-to-back hits only once. That came with one out in the second inning when junior first baseman Chris Freihaut and junior designated hitter John Orlando each poked singles, but Freihaut was erased between hits when he was caught stealing. That was the closest Ford came to having two runners on base all day.
Ford, who improved his record to 2-1, lowered his ERA to 2.34. He now has worked 34-2/3 innings, striking out 33 and walking only five.
The Scarlet Raptors collected all the runs they needed in the first inning off Stockton starting and losing pitcher Matt Cangialosi. After loading the bases with no outs on a pair of walks, sandwiched around a single by senior center fielder Brian Murphy (Sewell, NJ/Paul VI), the Raptors appeared to be in jeopardy of wasting their opportunity following a force out at the plate and a strikeout. With two outs, sophomore shortstop Brian Jakubowski (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) was hit by a pitch to force home a run, and senior left fielder David Petitt (Lindenwold, NJ/Overbrook) plated another run with a walk.
Petitt hit a sacrifice fly in the third inning to make it 3-0, and the Raptors broke the game open with a four-run eighth inning. With one out, Jakubowski, Petitt and freshman right fielder Mike Morris (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) collected consecutive singles to open the floodgates.
Petitt (1-for-2, one run, three RBIs) had the RBI single after Jakubowski (2-for-2, one run, one RBI) advanced on a wild pitch. Petitt scored on another wild pitch, Morris was singled home by Murphy and the final run scored on an error.
Murphy went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI for the Raptors. He also had a fourth-inning walk, giving him 69 walks in his career to tie the Rutgers-Camden school mark set by Jamie Schwantes (1994-97).
The next day, the Raptors left 27 men on base and hit into four double plays in losing a home doubleheader against Montclair State, 7-5 and 12-3. Red Hawks junior catcher Rob Blackburn went 6-for-6 with two runs and two RBIs, extending his amazing streak to 13-for-13 over five games. Blackburn’s day, which included a walk in the first game, extended his streak of consecutive times reaching base to 16, including his 13 hits and three walks. He went 2-for-2 in the opener and 4-for-4 in the nightcap.
The Red Hawks built a 7-0 lead in the first game and hung on to post the 7-5 victory behind winning pitcher Lou Wieben and three relievers. Wieben (3-1) worked 5-2/3 innings, allowing six hits, three earned runs and six walks. He struck out five. Freshman Bill Christopher collected his third save, working a perfect ninth inning with two strikeouts.
Montclair State took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a dropped fly ball in left field, which was lost in the sun. The Red Hawks added five runs in the fourth, capped by a two-run triple by junior right fielder Ethan Boyd.
The Scarlet Raptors collected eight hits in the game, including two apiece by Murphy and freshman right fielder Brian Schweers (Perryville, MD/Perryville). In addition to their eight hits, the Raptors drew 11 walks, but hit into three double plays and left 14 runners standed.
In the nightcap, Rutgers-Camden grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning on a two-run single by Jakubowski, but Montclair State collected the first of its two five-run innings in the third to take the lead for good. Senior first baseman Mike Weiss drilled a bases-clearing double to right-center field to give Montclair State a 3-2 lead.
The Red Hawks also added five runs in the sixth, aided by a two-run double by junior designated hitter Matt Benedetti. Benedetti went 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs in the second game, while Weiss was 2-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs and Boyd went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Rutgers-Camden, which left 13 runners on base in the nightcap, had 13 hits off a trio of Montclair State pitchers. Freshman Jairo Mendez collected the win, raising his record to 4-0, by working seven innings, allowing nine hits, one walk and two earned runs. He struck out four.
Sophomore right fielder/catcher Nick Turekian (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI for Rutgers-Camden, while Schweers and Jakubowski each went 2-for-4. Jakubowski had a pair of RBIs. Senior designated hitter Mike Carlino (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) went 2-for-5 with one run scored.
The Raptors also lost their opening NJAC game of the week as junior pitcher Vincent Petrillo scattered four hits and three walks over 6-1/3 innings, while striking out nine, to lead The College of New Jersey over Rutgers-Camden, 6-2, in a conference game April 8 in Ewing
Petrillo raised his record to 3-1 in the game played in a steady rain. Junior lefty Paul DeMarco (Mullica Hill, NJ/Clearview Regional) took the loss in his first start of the season, working five innings, allowing four hits, two walks and four earned runs. He struck out three. The Lions took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI double by senior first baseman Pat Zegarski and an RBI sacrifice fly by freshman catcher Gerard Haran.
The Scarlet Raptors made it a 2-1 game in the fourth inning when Carlino drew a leadoff walk. He scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore first baseman Matt Calloway (Blackwood, NJ/Highland).
The Lions put the game away with a four-run sixth inning, sparked by an RBI single from Zegarski. Sophomore center fielder Chris Wilson collected a two-run single in the frame, while senior second baseman Chris Schoonhoven drove home the final run of the frame.
The Raptors’ final run came in the eighth inning when freshman Tom Terrill (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) collected a pinch-hit RBI single.
The Raptors started their week April 6, losing to John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 9-8, in a non-conference home game. Freshman starter John Dobkowski worked six innings, scattering eight hits and one walk, and junior Joseph Gandolfo earned his first save with three shutout innings in relief.
Dobkowski raised his record to 4-1 despite allowing eight runs, including six earned. He struck out two batters. Gandolfo entered the game in the bottom of the seventh inning and hurled two-hit ball the rest of the way. The Raptors had the chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when Calloway collected a two-out single, but he was thrown out at the plate while trying to score on a double by Schweers. Schweers was the last batter to reach base for the Raptors, as Gandolfo retired the side in order in the last two innings.
Both teams scored four runs in the first inning, with John Jay taking advantage of three hits and one Raptor error. The big hit was a two-run double to right field by freshman DH James DeCesare.
The Raptors plated their four runs on identical totals – three hits and one error – including a two-run triple to right field by sophomore second baseman David Hibbs (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East).
Rutgers-Camden added a pair of runs in the second inning, sparked when Murphy singled and Carlino was hit by a pitch. On a double steal, Murphy came around to score on a throwing error. Carlino scored on an RBI single by Jakubowski.
The Raptors’ lead was short-lived, as John Jay collected five runs – four of them unearned -- in the third inning off Raptor starter and losing pitcher Greg Galbraith (Westville, NJ/Gateway Regional). The Bloodhounds did all their damage with two outs and nobody on, sparked by a double by junior shortstop Rocky Nicotina. DeCesare drew a walk and freshman second baseman Henry Chao hit an RBI single to right. Sophomore left fielder Richard Santana reached on a two-out infield throwing error, scoring both DeCesare and Chao with the runs that put John Jay ahead to stay. Junior center fielder Robert Fernandez drilled an RBI triple and ended up scoring on a wild pitch by freshman reliever Jason Ronca (Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley).
Ronca worked 3-1/3 strong innings for the Raptors, allowing only one hit. He walked four and struck out three.
Rutgers-Camden cut the gap to 9-8 in the sixth inning on a two-run single by Carlino, but couldn’t plate the tying run.
TRACK AND FIELD
April 7 at Lebanon Valley College
No team scoring
Rutgers-Camden Winners:
MEN: Mike Fox, 1,500 meters, 4:22.5
Mike Fox, 3,000 meters, 9:48.6
WOMEN: Donna-Marie Kirk, discus, 99-5
April 10 at Delaware Invitational
Division III Men: 1. SUNY-Cortland, 168.5; 2. College of New Jersey, 115; 3. Lincoln, 112; 4. Salisbury, 54; 5. Moravian, 52.5; 6. Oneonta and Richard Stockton, 50.5; 8. Muhlenberg, 34.5; 9. Swarthmore, 29; 10. Ursinus, 20; 11. New Jersey City, 18.5; 12. Rutgers-Camden, 7.
Division III Women: 1. College of New Jersey, 140.5; 2. SUNY-Cortland, 139; 3. Moravian, 87; 4. Richard Stockton, 66; 5. Lincoln, 51; 6. Oneonta, 39; 7. Muhlenberg, 38.5; 8. New Jersey City, 38; 9. Salisbury, 32; 10. Rutgers-Camden, 22; 11. Ursinus, 20; 12. Swarthmore, 17.
Rutgers-Camden School Records:
* Michael Fox, 1,500-meter run, 4:03.78 (Old: 4:08.32 by Fox at the Osprey Open, April 3, 2004)
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Sat., April 17 at Messiah College Falcon Invitational 9 a.m.
April 24 at Lions Invitational 10:30 a.m.
May 1 at NJAC Championships (Richard Stockton College)
The Rutgers University-Camden track team sent two athletes to the LVC Invitational March 7 at Lebanon Valley College, and the Scarlet Raptors came away with three first-place performances.
No team scores were kept in the invitational.
Sophomore Mike Fox (Hainesport, NJ/Rancocas Valley) won the 1,500-meter run in 4:22.5 and the 3,000-meter run in a time of 9:48.6.
Freshman Donna-Marie Kirk (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) won the discus competition with a throw of 99-5, finishing 13 inches ahead of her nearest competitor.
In their next outing, at the Delaware Invitational April 10, the Raptors received another record-setting performance from Fox, who broke his own school record in the 1,500-meter run. Fox posted a time of 4:03.78 to finish third in the event. He topped the mark of 4:08.32 he had set in the Osprey Open at Richard Stockton College April 3.
SCARLET RAPTORS REPORT 6-6-6-6
Overall, the Rutgers-Camden men’s team (seven points) finished last out of 12 Division II and III teams at the event which also featured seven Division I men’s programs. The Lady Raptors (22 points) finished 10th out of 12 teams in Divisions II and III. The invitational also included 10 Division I schools.
Freshman Donna-Marie Kirk (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) finished second in the discus competition with a throw of 113 feet, while junior sprinter Tameka Jackson (Pennsauken, NJ/Sterling) was sixth in the 100-meter dash 12.94) and fourth in the 200 (26.43).
Jackson also teamed with senior Nicole Parkinson (Englewood, NJ/Bergen County Tech), junior Tiffany Logan (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township) and sophomore anchor Nafeesa Yusuff (Vineland, NJ/Vineland) on the third-place 4x100-meter relay team (51.5).
Logan finished 11th in both the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (1:16.46) and the long jump (14-3), while Parkinson was 12th in the long jump (13-11) and 13th in the 100-meter dash (14.08). Yusuff finished 14th in the 100-meter dash (14.25).
On the men’s side, junior Matthew Weng (Lakehursst, NJ/Shawnee) finished eighth in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles (1:00.13).
Freshman Raphael Fuentes (Yonkers, NY/Haddonfield) finished 12th at 100 meters (11.53) and 13th at 200 meters (23.83), while junior Taiwan Lamb (Atlantic City, NJ/Atlantic City) finished 15th and 20th, respectively, in those events in times of 11.64 and 24.29.
Sophomore Chris McGowan (Barrington, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) finished 19th at 800 meters (2:01.36). Freshman Stefon Coleman (Penns Grove, NJ/Penns Grove) ran a 55.60 in the 400-meter dash to finish 20th.
GOLF
April 8 WIDENER UNIVERSITY INVITATIONAL
(at Frog Hollow Golf Club, Middletown, DE) (5th out of 14)
1. LaSalle University, 312; 2. Adelphi University and Delaware Valley College, 322; 4. SUNY-Plattsburgh, 327; 5. Rutgers University-Camden, 328; 6. Anne Arundel Community College, 332; 7. Alvernia College, 335; 8. Widener University, 339; 9. Richard Stockton College, 345; 10. Villa Julie, 355; 11. Cabrini College, 357; 12. Gwynedd-Mercy College, 392; 13. Philadelphia Biblical University, 407; 14. Centenary College, Did not score.
Medalist: Grant Sharrow (SUNY-Plattsburgh), 76.
Rutgers-Camden medalists: Chris Kelley and Hugh Arbuthnot, 76 (Kelley won on matching cards).
Rutgers-Camden scores: Kelley, 76; Arbuthnot, 76; John Goff, 83; Brian Mason, 87; Ryan Cusick, 91. Alternates: Joe Zulli, 90; Rob Burgess, 94.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Tues., April 13 at Alvernia College Invitational 1 p.m.
Thurs., April 15 at Wesley College Invitational 12 p.m.
Freshman Chris Kelley (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield) and junior Hugh Arbuthnot (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) each shot a 79 to lead the Rutgers University-Camden golf team to a fifth-place finish out of 14 teams at the 2004 Pioneer Spring Invitational, hosted by Widener University March 8.
LaSalle University shot a 312 to win the event which was held at the Frog Hollow Golf Club in Middletown, Delaware. The individual winner was Grant Sharrow of SUNY-Plattsburgh, who shot a 76 and edged LaSalle’s Phil Aurora on matching cards.
Kelley finished eighth overall on matching cards, followed by Adelphi’s Steve Terrana and Arbuthnot, who each shot a 79. Their performance helped the Scarlet Raptors compile their second-best team score of the spring season, behind the school-record 312 they shot at the Susquehanna University Tee-Off Invitational March 25. The Raptors’ 328 placed them one stroke behind fourth-place SUNY-Plattsburgh.
Sophomore John Goff (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) shot an 83 for the Raptors, while junior Brian Mason (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton) recorded an 87 and senior captain Ryan Cusick (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) shot a 91.
The Rutgers-Camden alternates were freshmen Joe Zulli (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI) and Rob Burgess (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), who shot a 90 and a 94, respectively.
