Binghamton, NY - - - The second-seeded Staten Island Dolphins (14-24) scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase an early 4-0 deficit and went on to win the 2005 CUNYAC Baseball Championship on Sunday afternoon at NYSEG Stadium, defeating the top-seeded New Jersey City Gothic Knights (19-13) by a score of 5-4. It was the third straight conference title for the Dolphins.
Trailing 4-1 heading into the ninth, the Dolphins scored four runs in the top of the frame to take their first lead of the contest. Second baseman Tom Wolfit singled to left to score catcher Matt Stefanski, who led off the inning with a double. After the Dolphins loaded the bases with just one out, Joseph Ruiz (3-for-3) singled home first baseman Anthony Hillery to make it 4-3. Gothic Knights lefthander George Jessen then relieved starter Rob Motacki (8.1 innings, 5 earned runs) and walked designated hitter Mike Liconti (2-for-3, 2 RBI) on a 3-1 pitch to force in a run and even the score at 4-4. Centerfielder Chris Hemmes, who had singled, then scored the go-ahead run as Gothic Knights third baseman Carlos Suarez made a throwing error, on what looked to be a routine 5-5-3 double-play off the bat of Jamie Lee.
“We played great,” said Staten Island head coach Bill Cali. “Adam {Cotayo) did a great job of keeping us in the ballgame and we rewarded him by getting the victory. It’s nice to see the seniors go out with a championship.”
The Gothic Knights grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first with a run on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Javan Camacho, after second baseman Ruben Borges delivered a one-out single to load the bases.
The Gothic Knights added three runs in the bottom of the third to stretch the lead to 4-0. Third baseman Carlos Suarez (2-for-4, 2 RBI) delivered a two-run groundball single just over the first base bag to score Camacho (hit by pitch) and leftfielder Mike McCormick (3-for-4), who had singled. Centerfielder Keith Naylor, who reached on an error by Dolphins’ pitcher Adam Cotayo, scored on a wild pitch for the final run of the frame.
The Dolphins got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning as Ruiz delivered a two-out triple and Liconti followed with a line drive double down the leftfield line to score Ruiz.
The Gothic Knights had a chance to tie the score in the bottom of the ninth as they opened the frame with a walk by Tom Cruder. Liconti, who earned the save, then relieved starter Adam Cotayo and was able to retire Anthony Caivano. Pinch-runner Mike Lukko then stole second base and Javan Camacho followed with an infield single. McCormick, who went 7-for-9 in the tournament, ended the game by lining into 4-3 double-play as Tom Wohlfit made the catch and doubled up Camacho at first.
Liconti was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after he went 4-for-9 with five RBI’s and a save.
“I knew when I came into the game that I would not allow any runs to score,” said Liconti. “This is a great feeling and it was one of the most exciting games that I have been a part of. As far as the game-tying walk is concerned, I noticed that he {George Jessen} was wild in warm-ups and I was looking to take all the way.”
Cotayo, who threw 145 pitches, yielded three earned runs on nine hits over 8.0 innings to pick up the win. He also walked seven and fanned eight batters.
“We have a great hitting team and I knew that we would come back and score some runs if I just kept us in the ballgame,” said Cotayo.
Box score (composite)
2005 New Jersey City University Baseball
Staten Island vs New Jersey City U. - Composite Box Score
05/08/2005 at Binghamton, NY (NYSEG Stadium)
Staten Island 5 (14-24)
Player AB R H BI 2B 3B HR BB SB CS HP SH SF SO IBB KL GDP PO A E
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Glennerster ss 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0
A. Hillery 1b 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 0
T. Wohlfit 2b 5 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 3 0
C. Hemmes cf 5 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0
J. Ruiz 3b 3 1 3 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
M. Liconti dh/p 4 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
J. Lee rf 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 1 0
M. Gonzalez lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0
M. Stefanski c 4 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 9 1 0
A. Cotayo p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1
Totals...... 39 5 13 5 3 1 0 3 1 0 2 0 0 7 0 4 0 27 8 1
New Jersey City U. 4 (19-13)
Player AB R H BI 2B 3B HR BB SB CS HP SH SF SO IBB KL GDP PO A E
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sumner rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 7 1 0
Borges 2b 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
Cruder dh 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0
Lukko pr 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Caivano ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 4 0 1 0 0 4 0
Camacho 1b 3 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 10 1 0
McCormick lf 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Naylor cf 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0
Suarez 3b 4 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 1
Schanel c 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 2 0
Motacki p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Jessen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals...... 31 4 10 3 0 0 0 7 5 1 2 1 1 9 0 3 1 27 10 2
Staten Island IP H R ER BB SO WP HB BK IBB SH SF CI 2B 3B HR AB BF FO GO NP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Cotayo W,3-4 8.0 9 4 3 7 8 3 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 28 39 6 6 145
M. Liconti S,1 1.0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 1 0 8
New Jersey City U. IP H R ER BB SO WP HB BK IBB SH SF CI 2B 3B HR AB BF FO GO NP
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Motacki L,6-2 8.1 13 5 5 2 7 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 0 37 41 7 10 115
Jessen 0.2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 1 7
Umpires - HP: Michael Gravel 1B: Thomas Kaminski
Start: 12:05 pm Time: 2:25 Attendance: 123
Game notes:
2005 City University of New York Athletic Conference Championship game
between No. 1 seeded New Jersey City University and No. 2 Staten Island.
Staten Island wins the 2005 CUNYAC Championship.
A. Cotayo faced 1 batter in the 9th.
Game: 05082005
Play-by-Play
2005 New Jersey City University Baseball
Staten Island vs New Jersey City U. - Play-by-Play
05/08/2005 at Binghamton, NY (NYSEG Stadium)
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Staten Island....... 000 100 004 - 5 13 1
New Jersey City U... 103 000 000 - 4 10 2
-------------------------------------------
Staten Island starters: 15/ss Glennerster; 5/1b A. Hillery; 21/2b T. Wohlfit; 7/cf
C. Hemmes; 33/3b J. Ruiz; 9/dh M. Liconti; 17/rf J. Lee; 20/lf M. Gonzalez; 1/c M.
Stefanski; 31/p A. Cotayo;
New Jersey City U. starters: 24/rf Sumner; 26/2b Borges; 5/dh Cruder; 9/ss Caivano;
23/1b Camacho; 18/lf McCormick; 15/cf Naylor; 3/3b Suarez; 28/c Schanel; 11/p
Motacki;
Staten Island 1st - Glennerster singled to center field (1-2). A. Hillery
lined out to rf to right center (2-0); Glennerster out at first rf to 1b. T. Wohlfit
grounded out to c (0-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 1st - Sumner grounded out to 1b unassisted (3-1). Borges
singled to center field (0-0). Borges advanced to second on a passed ball. Cruder
hit by pitch (1-1). Caivano walked (3-0); Cruder advanced to second; Borges advanced
to third. Camacho flied out to cf to left center, SF, RBI (1-2); Borges scored.
Caivano stole second; Cruder stole third. McCormick walked (3-2). Naylor struck out
looking (1-2). 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Staten Island 2nd - C. Hemmes reached on a fielding error by lf (0-2). J.
Ruiz singled to third base (0-0); C. Hemmes advanced to second, out at third 1b to
3b. M. Liconti singled through the left side (0-1); J. Ruiz advanced to second. J.
Lee struck out looking (0-2). M. Gonzalez struck out swinging, out at first c to 1b
(0-2). 0 runs, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 2nd - Suarez singled to right field (0-0). Schanel
grounded out to 2b (2-1); Suarez advanced to second. Suarez advanced to third on a
wild pitch. Sumner walked (3-1). Borges walked (3-0); Sumner advanced to second.
Cruder struck out swinging (1-2). Caivano struck out swinging (1-2). 0 runs, 1
hit, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Staten Island 3rd - M. Stefanski struck out looking (2-2). Glennerster
grounded out to 2b (2-1). A. Hillery grounded out to ss (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 3rd - Camacho hit by pitch (2-2). McCormick singled
through the left side (0-1); Camacho advanced to second. Naylor reached on a
fielding error by p, SAC, bunt (0-1); McCormick advanced to second; Camacho advanced
to third. Suarez singled down the rf line, out at first rf to 1b, 2 RBI (3-2);
Naylor advanced to third; McCormick scored; Camacho scored. Naylor scored on a wild
pitch, unearned. Schanel singled up the middle (2-2). Sumner singled through the
right side (1-1); Schanel advanced to second. Borges reached on a fielder's choice,
interference, grounded out to 2b unassisted (1-2); Sumner out at second ss to 2b;
Schanel advanced to third. 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Staten Island 4th - T. Wohlfit flied out to rf (0-0). C. Hemmes struck out
looking (2-2). J. Ruiz tripled to right center (0-0). M. Liconti doubled down the rf
line, RBI (0-0); J. Ruiz scored. J. Lee struck out swinging, grounded out to c
unassisted (1-2). 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 4th - Cruder flied out to rf (0-1). Caivano struck out
swinging (2-2). Camacho grounded out to 2b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Staten Island 5th - M. Gonzalez struck out swinging (1-2). M. Stefanski flied
out to rf (0-0). Glennerster grounded out to 3b (0-0). 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors,
0 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 5th - McCormick singled to shortstop (0-1). McCormick
stole second. Naylor struck out swinging (1-2). Suarez flied out to cf (1-0).
Schanel fouled out to 1b (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Staten Island 6th - A. Hillery lined out to rf (1-1). T. Wohlfit singled to
center field (0-2). C. Hemmes flied out to rf (0-0). T. Wohlfit stole second. J.
Ruiz hit by pitch (2-1). M. Liconti reached on a fielder's choice (1-1); J. Ruiz
advanced to second; T. Wohlfit out at third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 2 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 6th - Sumner struck out looking (0-2). Borges singled
through the right side (1-0). Cruder grounded into double play 3b to 2b to 1b (0-0);
Borges out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Staten Island 7th - J. Lee flied out to lf (1-1). M. Gonzalez walked (3-1).
M. Stefanski singled to right center (1-1); M. Gonzalez advanced to second.
Glennerster struck out looking (0-2). A. Hillery grounded out to ss (3-2). 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 7th - Caivano struck out looking (2-2). Camacho grounded
out to p (0-0). McCormick singled to center field (3-2). McCormick stole second.
McCormick advanced to third on a wild pitch. Naylor walked (3-1). Naylor advanced to
second on a passed ball. Suarez lined out to 2b (1-0). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2
LOB.
Staten Island 8th - T. Wohlfit grounded out to ss (1-1). C. Hemmes doubled
down the lf line (0-0). J. Ruiz walked (3-1). M. Liconti grounded out to 1b
unassisted (2-1); J. Ruiz advanced to second; C. Hemmes advanced to third. J. Lee
hit by pitch (0-1). M. Gonzalez flied out to rf (2-2). 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 3
LOB.
New Jersey City U. 8th - Schanel walked (3-1). Sumner popped up to p (0-1).
Schanel out at second c to 2b, caught stealing. Borges struck out swinging (1-2).
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Staten Island 9th - M. Stefanski doubled to right center (0-1). Glennerster
grounded out to ss (1-2). A. Hillery singled to center field (0-0); M. Stefanski
advanced to third. T. Wohlfit singled to left field, RBI (0-0); A. Hillery advanced
to second; M. Stefanski scored. C. Hemmes singled up the middle (0-0); T. Wohlfit
advanced to second; A. Hillery advanced to third. J. Ruiz singled through the left
side, RBI (0-0); C. Hemmes advanced to second; T. Wohlfit advanced to third; A.
Hillery scored. Jessen to p for Motacki. M. Liconti walked, RBI (3-1); J. Ruiz
advanced to second; C. Hemmes advanced to third; T. Wohlfit scored. J. Lee reached
on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on a throwing error by 3b, RBI (0-0); M.
Liconti advanced to third; J. Ruiz out at third 3b unassisted; C. Hemmes scored. M.
Gonzalez flied out to rf (0-0). 4 runs, 5 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
New Jersey City U. 9th - Cruder walked (3-2). Lukko pinch ran for Cruder. M.
Liconti to p. / for A. Cotayo. Caivano struck out swinging (0-2). Lukko stole
second. Camacho singled to shortstop (1-1); Lukko no advance. McCormick lined into
double play 2b unassisted (1-0); Camacho out on the play. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0
errors, 1 LOB.