 |
 |
|
Monday, April 10, 2006 By Mike Ballard RAPTOR OF THE WEEK Junior center fielder Nate Buchter continued his red-hot hitting, going 8-for-20 (.400) during the week on his way to a new school record. Buchter stretched his hitting streak to 22 games, breaking the old mark of 18 by Bob Diepold (2001) when he went 2-for-4 against FDU-Florham April 4. Included in his week was a 5-for-11 performance in a doubleheader split against Montclair State April 9. Buchter is hitting .409 (38-for-93) during his streak and is batting even higher, at .417, for the season. He has hit safely in 25 of the Scarlet Raptors’ 26 games. SOFTBALL (20-4 overall/6-0 NJAC) April Tue. 4 Rutgers-Camden 1-3, The College of New Jersey 0-0 UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Tue. 11 at Rowan University (doubleheader) 3 p.m. The Rutgers-Camden softball team continued building its momentum and its lead in the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings, while adding some program milestones in the meantime. Rutgers-Camden stretched its winning streak to 10 games and raised its NJAC record to 6-0 with a pair of conference doubleheader sweeps during the week against strong programs. Senior Michelle Schlichtig (Barrington, NJ/Haddon Heights) fired a two-hitter in winning the opening game and hurled three shutout innings in relief to collect a save for junior Megan Farrell (Medford, NJ/Bishop Eustace Prep) in the nightcap as the Lady Raptors swept a NJAC doubleheader from Montclair State University, 10-2 and 4-2, in Camden April 9. The first game ended in the bottom of the sixth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule. It was the second straight NJAC sweep during the week for the Lady Raptors, who posted 1-0 and 3-0 wins over The College of New Jersey April 4 in Camden. Rutgers-Camden, ranked No. 11 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division III poll, improved to 20-4 overall and 6-0 in the NJAC with its 10th straight win. Montclair State fell to 13-4 and 0-4. Schlichtig threw three perfect innings in the nightcap, striking out five, as she recorded her second save of the season. It was the fourth save of her Rutgers-Camden career, tying the program career mark set by Sarah O’Malley (2001-2003). In the opening game, Schlichtig (10-2) fanned nine and didn’t walk a batter in her two-hitter. She allowed two earned runs. Rutgers-Camden struck for three runs in the top of the third inning of the nightcap, sparked by the speed of sophomore second baseman Jayme Feriod (Glassboro, NJ/Glassboro). Following a leadoff single by sophomore designated player Amber Parker (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken), Feriod reached on a fielder’s choice, which retired Parker at second. Feriod stole second and junior third baseman Alaina Giles (Willingboro, NJ/Holy Cross) drew a walk. Freshman center fielder Marissa Van Cleef (Hillsborough, NJ/Hillsborough) followed by slapping a grounder toward third base, but Feriod beat a force play at the bag, loading the bases. Feriod then scored on a shallow sacrifice fly by junior right fielder Autumn Millett (Richwood, NJ/Clearview Regional), and Schlichtig singled home two more runs. Montclair State got a run back in the bottom of the third following a leadoff single by sophomore center fielder Maureen Shockley and a sacrifice by senior first baseman Athanasia Totaro. Shockley scored on a single by freshman shortstop Jennifer Jimenez. The Red Hawks cut the gap to 3-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Junior designated player Dana Warnock hit a one-out double and advanced on a two-out infield single by freshman left fielder Kelly Karp. Shockley followed by dropping a single into shallow center field, plating the run. The Raptors tacked on their final run in the top of the sixth after Millett hit a leadoff double for the 100th hit of her Rutgers-Camden career. She scored all the way from second when Schlichtig sacrificed and reached on a fielding error on the play. Farrell (4-1) collected the win by hurling four innings, allowing five hits, two earned runs and one walk. She struck out three. The losing pitcher was sophomore Carolyn McCrea (5-3), who hurled a seven-hitter with one walk, six strikeouts and four earned runs. Millett went 2-for-3 in the nightcap to finish the day with four hits, lifting her career total to 101. In the first game, the Lady Raptors scored six runs in the first two innings, all but one of them unearned off tough-luck pitcher Totaro. Totaro’s teammates made five errors in the opening two innings, including three in the Raptors’ five-run second. In the first inning, Millett doubled to right field and reached third on an error. She scored on a ground out by Schlichtig. In the second, the Raptors loaded the bases on a walk to junior catcher Mo Baney (Deptford, NJ/Deptford), an error and a bunt single by Feriod. Giles singled home one run. With two outs, Schlichtig hit a ground ball that rolled through the shortstop’s legs and all the way to the left-center field fence for a bases-clearing error. Schlichtig scored on a single by sophomore first baseman Kathleen Dreitlein (Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston). The Red Hawks scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth after Totaro opened the frame with a single to left field, breaking up Schlichtig’s bid for a perfect game. One out later, Jimenez launched her 10th home run of the season over the right-center field fence. Rutgers-Camden got those runs back in the bottom of the fifth when Baney led off with a single and scored on a home run to left field by Parker. It was her second home run of the season. The Raptors ended the game on the eight-run rule in the bottom of the sixth inning, following back-to-back doubles by Schlichtig and Dreitlein to open the frame. Schlichtig scored on a single by Baney and Dreitlein scored the final run on a ground out by Feriod. For the Raptors, Millett, Schlichtig, Dreitlein, Baney and Feriod each had two of the 13 hits off Totaro, who allowed 10 runs (five earned) and three walks. Totaro (7-2) struck out two. The Red Hawks play a 3 p.m. makeup doubleheader against conference rival Ramapo College Monday at home. The Lady Raptors travel to Rowan University for a NJAC doubleheader Tuesday at 3 p.m. In the doubleheader against TCNJ, Schlichtig tossed a two-hit shutout in the opening game and Farrell came back with a one-hit shutout in the nightcap as Rutgers-Camden earned a tough 1-0, 3-0 sweep. The Lady Raptors scored an unearned run in the first game to decide a pitchers’ duel between Schlichtig and TCNJ junior Julianne Lajiness, and Rutgers-Camden’s Dreitlein hit a two-out, two-run sixth-inning double to break up a scoreless second game. TCNJ, which was listed in the “Others Receiving Votes” in the latest NFCA national poll, saw its nine-game winning streak snapped. Farrell put an exclamation point on the day with a one-hit shutout, allowing only an infield single by sophomore shortstop Christina Lizzi in the first inning. That two-out hit followed an error, giving the Lions runners at first and second base. Farrell worked out of the jam with a ground out and allowed only two more runners the rest of the way, coming on a fourth-inning error and a walk in the fifth. She struck out two in her shutout performance. Farrell had to be tough, because TCNJ junior Heather Hoffman hurled a fine game as well. Hoffman, 7-2, allowed five hits and three walks, while striking out five. She hurled shutout ball until the sixth inning, when Giles opened with a single to left and advanced on a one-out walk to Millett. Following a fly out, Dreitlein ripped a double to left-center field, plating the only runs Farrell needed. The Raptors added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a single by Parker and a stolen base. Pinch-runner Mandi Moore (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddon Township) ran for Parker. A walk to Feriod and a hit batsman by Giles loaded the bases, and Van Cleef legged out an infield hit as Moore scored. In the opening game, the two teams were locked in a scoreless duel between Schlichtig and Lajiness into the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Lady Raptors put runners on the corners with one out following a walk to Dreitlein and a fielding error on a sacrifice by Farrell. Baney drove home the game’s lone run when she grounded to second and Dreitlein beat the throw to the plate. Schlichtig finished with a two-hit shutout, walking four and striking out eight. Both hits came in the opening inning, when the Lions loaded the bases with one out on a pair of hits and a walk. Schlichtig wriggled out of the jam with a force at the plate and a strikeout. She allowed only one runner to second base the rest of the way – on a second-inning walk and stolen base by senior catcher Kristin Meister. She retired the last six batters. Lajiness, 6-2, allowed only three hits, two walks and the one unearned run. She struck out five. Two of the three hits were singles by Feriod, who went 3-for-4 in the doubleheader. Parker had a hit in each game for Rutgers-Camden. BASEBALL (18-8 overall/5-2 NJAC) April Tue. 4 Rutgers-Camden 7, Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham 6 (10 innings) UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Thur. 15 The College of New Jersey 3:30 p.m. The Scarlet Raptors put together another fine week on the diamond, going 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. Like the softball team, the baseball team also threw in a good helping of milestones and historical moments, including a record-setting hitting streak by junior center fielder Nate Buchter (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional). Buchter set a program record by hitting in his 19th consecutive game in the Raptors’ 7-6 10-inning win over Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham April 4. He continued hitting in his next three games to stretch the streak to 22 games as the Raptors defeated Richard Stockton College, 9-2, April 7 and split a makeup doubleheader with Montclair State University, losing 8-6 and winning 9-3, on April 9. That twinbill had been rained out on April 8. In the twinbill against Montclair State, Red Hawks sophomore Robert Clark hit a pinch-hit two-run single to cap a four-run seventh inning in the opening game and Rutgers-Camden senior Tom Ford (Laurel Springs, NJ/Paul VI) tossed a six-hitter in the nightcap. Montclair State’s four-run seventh broke a 4-4 tie and sparked the Red Hawks to an 8-6 win in the opening game. Ford’s pitching, and a five-run first inning lifted the Scarlet Raptors to a 9-3 victory in the nightcap. In the opening game, Montclair State grabbed a 4-1 lead before the Raptors tied the game with a three-run sixth, sparked by a two-run single from senior first baseman Matt Calloway (Blackwood, NJ/Highland Regional) and a run-scoring single from Buchter. The Red Hawks bounced right back in the top of the seventh with four runs on four hits and two walks, sparked by a leadoff single from senior third baseman Danny Rodriguez. Rodriguez stole second and scored the tie-breaking run on a single by junior catcher Andrew Vicaro. Clark capped the frame with his two-run pinch-hit single following an RBI walk to senior second baseman Marc DeCastro. The Scarlet Raptors had 12 hits in the losing effort off five Red Hawk pitchers. Buchter and Calloway each went 3-for-6, while junior left fielder Mike Morris (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township) and senior catcher Nick Turekian (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) added two hits apiece. In the nightcap, Ford threw no-hit ball for 4-2/3 innings until allowing a double by freshman right fielder Scott Evangelist with two outs in the fifth inning. Evangelist eventually scored on a single by sophomore shortstop James Scelzo, but by then the Raptors had staked Ford to a huge lead. He went the distance, scattering six hits and one walk, while striking out three. He allowed three earned runs in raising his record to 5-0. Rutgers-Camden scored five runs in the bottom of the first, sparked by a leadoff walk from senior shortstop Brian Jakubowski (Audubon, NJ/Audubon), who was playing in his 100th game with the Scarlet Raptors. He advanced to second on a single by sophomore second baseman Joe Ambrozy (Haddon Township, NJ/Bishop Eustace) and scored on a double by Buchter. Buchter, who went 5-for-11 in the twinbill, extended his school-record batting streak to 22 games. Calloway added an RBI ground out in the inning, while Morris hit an RBI single, senior designated hitter Nick Faragasso (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic) hit an RBI triple and Turekian added a sacrifice fly. Turekian had a two-run home run in the fourth inning to stake the Raptors to a 7-0 lead. They added their final runs in the sixth on a two-run double by Ambrozy. In addition to Buchter’s hitting streak, Morris and Jakubowski also continued their hitting streaks, stretching them to 13 and eight games, respectively. In the win over Stockton, junior right-hander Jason Ronca (Eastampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) hurled a seven-hitter, striking out nine, and senior third baseman Tyler Inkster (Audubon, NJ/Audubon) went 3-for-4 to power Rutgers-Camden over Richard Stockton College, 9-2, in a NJAC game at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City. The Scarlet Raptors scored seven of their nine runs in the first four innings for a 7-0 lead and added two more runs in the eighth. Ronca, 3-1, allowed two earned runs and three walks in his complete game as he was the Raptors’ winning pitcher for the second straight game. He also hurled two innings to collect the win in a 7-6 10-inning victory over Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham on Tuesday. The Raptors notched a number of milestones along the way. Buchter extended his school-record hitting streak to 20 games with a fourth-inning single. Calloway, meanwhile, notched eight putouts to become the first player in school history – baseball or softball – to pass the 1,000 milestone in career putouts. He now has 1,007. He also extended his career record to 70 defensive double plays. Another defensive player, Inkster, collected one assist at third base to become the first player in school history to reach 300 career assists. Calloway also collected a single to give him 167 career hits, moving past Jamie Schwantes (1994-97) into third place on the career list. Gerry Gatelein (1993-96) is second on the career hit list with 176. Calloway’s pair of runs lifted him past Tom Cusano into fourth place on the career list with 105, two behind third-place Gatelein. In addition to Inkster’s three hits, the Scarlet Raptors had a 2-for-4 day from sophomore right fielder Joe Midili (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township). Junior designated hitter Butch Amato (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) collected two RBIs, one on a sacrifice fly. For Stockton, Chris Crescenzi went 2-4 with a solo home run and Pat Goodwin was 2-3. Crescenzi’s home run was the second solo shot he has hit this season against Rutgers-Camden. Rutgers-Camden scored two unearned runs in the first inning and Jakubowski singled home two more in the second inning for a quick 4-0 lead. Amato had his sacrifice fly and Morris doubled in two runs for a three-run fourth inning that gave the Scarlet Raptors a commanding 7-0 lead. Crescenzi led off the bottom of the fourth with a solo blast over the left field fence and Eric Markussen stroked an RBI single in the inning to make the score 7-2. The Raptors added their final runs on a bases-loaded walk to Faragasso and a wild pitch in the eighth inning. In their opening game of the week, the Scarlet Raptors rallied past FDU-Florham, 7-6, in 10 innings. Midili doubled home Turekian with the winning run in the 10th inning in a game which saw Buchter set a school record by extending his hitting streak to 19 games. Rutgers-Camden improves to 16-7 overall with its third straight win and ninth victory in 10 games. FDU-Florham falls to 9-10, snapping a five-game winning streak. The Raptors, who tied the game in the bottom of the ninth on a two-out RBI single by Morris, won it in the 10th when Turekian opened with a double to left and scored on Midili’s double to right. That comeback highlighted a big day for Rutgers-Camden, which saw Buchter rip a first-inning single to extend his hitting streak to 19 games. Buchter broke the mark of 18 by Bob Diepold, which was set in 2001. Buchter added a third-inning triple and finished his day 2-for-4 with one run, one RBI and an intentional walk. Morris, meanwhile, went 2-for-4 to stretch his hitting streak to 10 games. After Rutgers-Camden took an early 5-2 lead through four innings, the Devils chipped away with one run in the fifth and tied the game with a two-run sixth which featured a walk, three hits and a big error. Freshman third baseman Bill Smith had an RBI single in the frame and senior shortstop Jim DaSilva reached on a two-out infield error which plated the tying run. FDU scored an unearned run in the seventh to take the lead, sparked by an error which put sophomore first baseman Dan Bellino on base to open the inning. He later scored on a single by freshman catcher Jimmy Sheppard. Trailing, 6-5, the Scarlet Raptors opened the ninth with a walk to Jakubowski. He was sacrificed to second by Calloway, and Buchter drew an intentional walk. Following a fly out against relief pitcher Glenn Regan, Morris delivered his game-tying single. Regan (3-2) worked 2/3-inning and allowed three hits and the one earned run. Ronca, the last of three Scarlet Raptor hurlers, picked up the win, working two shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk. He struck out four. GOLF Mon. 3 Lebanon Valley College Invitational 1. Neumann, 315; 2. Delaware Valley, 316; 3. Alvernia, 320; 4. Moravian, 322; 5. Keystone, 327; 6.(tie) Dickinson and Lycoming, 329; 8. Widener, 330; 9. Villa Julie, 331; 10. Lebanon Valley, 334; 11. Susquehanna JV, 340; 12. Cabrini, 341; 13. Albright, 345; 14. Ursinus, 349; 15. Elizabethtown, 350; 16. King’s, 353; 17. Messiah, 358; 18. Rutgers-Camden, 360; 19. Philadelphia, 371; 20. Eastern, 374 Individual Medalist: Nayson Avery (Alvernia), 72 Rutgers-Camden Medalist: Joe Zulli, 83 Rutgers-Camden Scores: Zulli 83, John Goff 86, Rob Burgess 93, Michael Nauss 96 Thur. 6 Susquehanna University Tee-Off Tournament 1. Susquehanna A, 310; 2. St. Peter’s, 316; 3. Penn State (club), 319; 4. Hobart, 320; 5. Keystone, Individual Medalist: Tom Dyer (St. Peter’s), 76, won on tiebreaker Rutgers-Camden Medalist: Joe Zulli, 80 Rutgers-Camden Scores: Zulli 80, Matt Tomasic 82, Michael Nauss 82, John Goff 88, Rob Burgess 89 UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April Thur. 13 Widener University Invitational 12 p.m. Mon. 17 Franklin & Marshall College Invitational 1 p.m. Junior Joe Zulli (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI) shot an 80 and the Rutgers-Camden golf team rebounded from a tough spring opener to record a 332 score and finish eighth at the Susquehanna University Tee-Off Tournament April 6. The 15-team tournament was held at the Par 70 Susquehanna Valley Country Club in Selinsgrove, Penn. The Susquehanna University A team won the event with a 310. The individual medalist was Tom Dyer of St. Peter’s, who shot a 76 and broke a three-way tie with Kyle Tyson (Penn State club team) and Matt Bowker (Susquehanna A) by carding the lowest score on the first handicap hole (#2) to capture the tiebreaker. Zulli shaved three strokes off his season-opening score when the Scarlet Raptors shot a 360 to finish 18th out of 20 teams at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational April 3. The biggest differences between the two outings were the rounds of 82 recorded at Susquehanna by junior Matt Tomasic (Berlin, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) and freshman Michael Nauss (Blackwood, NJ/Paul VI). Tomasic returned to the lineup after missing Monday’s opener, while Nauss shot a 96 at Lebanon Valley. Rutgers-Camden also received an 88 from senior John Goff (Haddon Heights, NJ/Paul VI) and an 89 from junior Rob Burgess (Sewell, NJ/Gloucester Catholic). Burgess shaved four strokes off his season-opening score. In the season opener on a cold, windy day, Zulli shot an 83 as the injury-depleted Raptors opened their season at the Lebanon Valley College Invitational, held at the Par 72 Lebanon Country Club in Annville, Penn. Rutgers-Camden finished with a 360 team score to place 18th in the 20-team field. The Scarlet Raptors were playing without the services of Tomasic, their top golfer from the fall, who was sidelined with a hand injury. Neumann College shot a 315 to win the team title, while Alvernia College’s Nayson Avery shot an even-par 72 to capture the individual title. Rutgers-Camden also received an 86 from Goff, while Burgess shot a 93 and Nauss carded a 96. TRACK AND FIELD April 1 at Osprey Open (at Richard Stockton College, Pomona, NJ) NO TEAM SCORES Rutgers-Camden Winners: * Carmen Zimmitt, Long Jump (5.10 M) UPCOMING SCHEDULE: Wed. 12 Lebanon Valley College Invitational (Annville, PA) 3:30 p.m. May Sat. 6 New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships TBA Senior captain Carmen Zimmitt (Woodstown, NJ/Woodstown) finished first in the long jump for the third consecutive meet, jumping 5.10 meters, to highlight the Rutgers University-Camden track team’s performance at the rainy Osprey Open April 8 at Richard Stockton College. In addition to Zimmitt, freshman Travis Stewart (Runnemede, NJ/Triton Regional) posted a time of 10:35.31 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to finish seventh. Stewart also teamed with sophomores Patrick Eigbe (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and Darryl Mendillo (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) and freshman Jonathan Salamon (Bridgewater, NJ/St. Joseph-Metuchen) to finish third in the 4x400 relay in a time of 3:50.81. Salamon also finished sixth at 800 meters (2:04.61) and ninth at 1,500 meters (4:23.43), while Mendillo was 17th at 400 meters (55.32). Eigbe, meanwhile, finished 22nd in the 200-meter dash in a time of 25.49. On the women’s side, sophomore Imani Hafiz (Franklinville, NJ/Delsea Regional) was fifth in the 100-meter dash (13.48) and sophomore Jessica Hull (Sicklerville, NJ/Fairton Christian Center and Academy) placed 12th (14.50). Freshman Becca Taylor (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights), making her Rutgers-Camden track debut, was sixth in the discus (26.49 M) and 12th in the shot put (8.15 M). Sophomore Rachel McCormick (Blue Anchor, NJ/Winslow Township) finished 30th in the 800 meters with a 3:05.99 clocking. CREW UPCOMING SCHEDULE: April Sat. 15 Johns Hopkins Invitational . |
 |