MANOR DEFEATED IN SECOND GAME OF DOUBLEHEADER TO NATIONALLY-RANKED BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MANOR DEFEATED IN SECOND GAME OF DOUBLEHEADER TO NATIONALLY-RANKED BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By Steven M. Glassman

Director of Sports Information

April 15, 2018

 

PARAMUS, NJ—Bergen Community College Bulldogs (21-6 Overall, 15-5 NJCAA Region XIX Division III) freshman center fielder Adrian Alacorn's walk-off two-out, two-run hit in the bottom of the seventh helped defeat the Manor College Blue Jays (1-10, 1-9), 15-14, in game two of a doubleheader.

Manor struck first scoring three times in the top of the first inning.  Freshman starting pitcher Abdur-Rauf Mujahid (Philadelphia, PA/Boys Latin) led off the game with a walk versus Bergen freshman starting pitcher Michael Cerbo.  Mujahid advanced to second on a freshman shortstop Jose Romero (Philadelphia, PA/Frankford) ground out to third.  Mujahid scored on a freshman third baseman Sauriel Baez (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) one-out single to right.  Freshman first baseman Hector Morales (Philadelphia, PA/Esperanza Charter) walked with two out.  Freshman center fielder Trevor Schmanek (Philadelphia, PA/St. Joseph's Prep) infield single to third moved Morales to second.  Freshman catcher Abimael Mercado's (Philadelphia, PA/Juan Ponce De Leon [PR]) double to right scored Morales and Schmanek.  The Bulldogs answered, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first.

The Blue Jays retook the lead in the second, scoring another three runs.  The first three Manor hitters reached on freshman third baseman Jorge Reyes' (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) single to center, freshman center left fielder Yorkis German (Philadelphia, PA/Kensington Health and Science) was hit by a pitch, and a Mujahid walk.  Romero's walk scored Reyes, Baez' ground out to second scored German, and Morales' sacrifice fly to freshman left fielder Kyle Seickel scored Mujahid.  Mujahid pitched a scoreless second.  He retired freshman designated hitter Kelvin Cruz to end the inning on a ground out to him with runners on second and third.

Manor added to its lead scored seven two-out runs in the third, sending 12 hitters to the plate.  Mercado's lead-off double to right, his second of the contest, knocked out Cerbo from the game.  Sophomore Justin Grippo retired the next two hitters, but, German's walk kept the inning alive and next seven batters reached base.  Mujahid's single to left scored Mercado.  On the play, freshman shortstop Julian Mena's fielding error allowed German to score.  Mujahid moved to second on a Grippo wild pitch and scored on Romero's single to left.  On the play, Romero, advanced to second on the throw.  Romero moved to third on another Grippo wild pitch.  Baez walked.  Grippo's third wild pitch of the inning allowed Romero to score and advanced Baez to second.  Morales' walked knocked Grippo out of the game.  Freshman relief pitcher Joseph Matos walked Schmanek to load the bases.  Mercado cleared the bases with a double to right.  Freshman right fielder Courtney Maddox-Kent's (Philadelphia, PA/Edison) walk made it nine straight Blue Jays to reach safely with two out.  Mujahid held Bergen scoreless in the bottom of the third despite the first two hitters reaching safely, sophomore third baseman Sean Kelly (walk), sophomore pinch-hitter Mikal Trice (single).  Sophomore pinch-hitter Dylan Habeeb's walk loaded the bases with two out.  However, Maddox-Kent caught freshman pinch-hitter Jonnathan Cepeda's line drive to end the inning.

The Bulldogs scored once in the fourth and fifth each.

The Blue Jays scored its final run in the top of the sixth off of freshman relief pitcher Jake Ursillo.  Romero singled to left with two out and Baez' walk advanced him to second.  Morales' single to left scored Romero.  Bergen scored four in the bottom of the sixth to close the deficit to 14-11.

The Bulldogs rallied in the bottom of the seventh.  After sophomore pinch-hitter Dean DiLauri grounded out to Romero to lead off the inning, Bergen scored its first two runs of the inning on a Cepeda bases loaded walk that scored freshman pinch-runner Martin Lucibello and a wild pitch that scored Habeeb.  Sophomore second baseman Joseph Mitchell reached on a fielder's choice to Baez with two out.  Alacorn's hit along the left field line scored Cepeda and Mitchell to end the game.

Batting Leaders: All of Mercado's three hits were doubles and he knocked in five runs. Mujahid scored three runs, had two hits, walked twice, contributed a RBI, and stole a base.  Morales walked three times, scored twice, and knocked in two runs.  Romero had two hits, scored two runs, and had two RBI.  Schmanek added two hits and scored and walked twice each.  Baez contributed two RBI, two walks, a run and a hit.  German scored two runs and walked twice.

Alacorn had two hits and five RBI.  Cruz walked four times, scored two runs, and stole a base.  Cepeda had two hits, two runs, and two RBI.  Habeeb scored and walked three times each.  Sophomore center fielder-right fielder Kelvin Puello contributed two runs, two hits, and stole a base.

Pitching Leaders: Mujahid started the game for the Blue Jays, pitching 5 2/3 innings.  Baez (0-2) took the loss in relief.

Freshman starting pitcher Josue Ruiz (1-0) won the game in relief, striking out the side in his only inning.

Next Game: Manor plays United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) affiliate Williamson College of the Trades (9-8) on Wednesday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m. in Media Pennsylvania.  The Mechanics won the first match-up versus the Blue Jays, 9-7, in seven innings, on April 6 in Media.