Bears Win First Ever Game Over NJAC Opponent, Split with Rutgers-Newark

MYRTLE BEACH, SC – For the first time in school history, the St. Joseph's College baseball team defeated a school from the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC).  The Bears had previously been winless against NJAC opponents, one of the top conferences in Division III.  St. Joseph's defeated the Scarlet Raiders 7-5 in game one of a doubleheader before dropping the second game 12-1.

After falling behind 1-0 after the first inning, the Bears used a seven-run second to jump ahead of the Scarlet-Raiders and never looked back.  St. Joseph's collected eight hits in the inning, including four for extra bases.  Joseph Mendez (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell) and Mike Cundari (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) led off the inning with back-to-back doubles.  Following a strikeout, the next seven Bears reached base, including a 2-RBI single by Thomas McKenna (Bellerose, NY/St. Francis Prep) and highlighted by an RBI triple by Kevin Diaz (Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell). 

Rutgers-Newark chipped away at the lead with a run in both the bottom of the second and third innings and two in the sixth, but the seven runs held up for the 7-5 win.  The Scarlet-Raiders had chances early to score off of Bears starter Kenny Smith (Belle Harbor, NY/Monsignor Farrell), but left five runners on base in the first two innings.

Junior Paul Piccirillo (Brooklyn, NY/Xavierian)pitched four innings in relief allowing two unearned runs to pick up the win.  Piccirillo allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out two batters. 

Mendez went 3-for-4 from the plate with a run and an RBI and Cundari also reached base three times going 2-for-3 with a walk, run and an RBI. 

Rutgers-Newark's Michael Schneider pitched 4.1 shutout innings in relief allowing three hits and striking out 5 batters. 

In game two, the Scarlet Raiders' offense exploded for 12 runs and 13 hits.  Rutgers-Newark jumped out on top using a five run first inning off of Bears starter Elvis Diaz (Brooklyn, NY/Christ the King).  St. Joseph's got one of the runs back in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Mendez. 

Rutgers-Newark added two runs in the third inning to pull away and tacked on runs in the final three innings.  Centerfielder Chris Ballester went 3-for-3 from the plate with two triples, three runs and two RBI.  Starting pitcher Kyle Van Vliet went the distance for the Scarlet Raiders, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out eight batters.

Mendez tallied two hits in game two to go 5-for-7 for the double header with two RBI.

St. Joseph's plays another NJAC opponent, Richard Stockton, tomorrow in a doubleheader starting at 10:00 am.  Fans can follow the game live at www.SJCBears.com.