Gotham Baseball has always said that there are great players in the collegiate ranks in the northeast - some might even say there are many "Beasts" in the East. Well, we're proud to introduce a new feature - Gotham College's "Beast of the Week" presented by Mattingly Baseball!
And the first "Beast of the Week" is...
Jack Murphy (Princeton) - In the closest choice of the season so far, the super-hot Murphy picks up his second weekly honor of the season, edging Army’s Cole White.
Murphy hit in all seven games that Princeton played, going an amazing 16-for 30 with nine RBI, and had four hits and five RBI in the Tigers 20-4 win over Navy.
White was a blistering 11-for-17 for the week, with seven RBI and
three steals, but just needed to play more games to beat the Tigers' catcher
out for this inaugural honor.
The way things have started at the plate for both players, All-Gotham selections are likely come May. But for now, congratulations to our 1st BEAST OF THE WEEK!
GBM College Pitcher of the Week: Mike Oliver (TCNJ)
Oliver struck out 16 in seven innings as the The College of New Jersey rolled over Haverford, 9-1. Oliver, a senior righthander, allowed one run on four hits in improving his record to 2-0 on the season and 15-2 for his TCNJ career.
Freshman of the Week: Clint Moore (Army)
The Patriot League’s top freshman for the week, Moore went 9-for-21 with three doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI for the week for the Black Knights. He had multiple hit games in every game during the week, and was at the top of an Army lineup that exploded for 54 runs in four games.
Team of the Week: Long Island University
Five wins in six games for the Blackbirds, as sophomore James Jones’ potent bat came to life, slugging three home runs over the course of the week.
The Blackbirds righted their
season with a 5-1 week, on the road, with three wins in Florida – over
NJ Tech and Cornell, and two in Delaware. A 4-1 LIU win over NJ Tech
was followed up by a sweep of Cornell, 14-12, 12-8, in the Papa John’s
challenge. After a 20-4 shellacking by Delaware State, the Blackbirds
bounced back with a 13-4 win over DSU, and then a 6-4 win over
Bucknell. James Jones hit his first three home runs of the season in
the final two games for LIU.
DIVISION I RECAP Presented By
Army (3-1, 5-12) - The Black Knights found their offense this week, but head coach Joe Sottolano has to be disappointed with a 3-1 record, as the Black Knights dropped a 19-18 game in the nightcap of a wild doubleheader with Dartmouth on Thursday. Army one the first game, 14-7, as Cole White had five hits and five RBI.
The week started with the Black Knights salvaging the final game of their three game series with Massachusetts, 12-11, and ended with a 11-2 win over Central Connecticut State.
Columbia (2-4, 4-14) - Henry Perkins continues to establish himself as one of the top two-way players in the Gotham area, pitching 7.1 innings, allowing only one earned run in a 3-2, non-decision loss, and rapping out nine hits in 28 at bats while playing second base (when not on the mound). Despite Perkins efforts, the Lions were only 2-4 for the week, losing individual games to Georgia Southern and Davidson, and splitting a four game series with Liberty.
Fairfield (1-2, 3-13) - Zeroes abound whenever the Stags played last week. A pair of shutout losses, 11-0 to St. John’s on Tuesday and 3-0 to Marist on Saturday were the negatives, while Rob Gariano complete game 2-hit shutout in the opener on Saturday against Marist was the highlight. James Rago’s RBI groundout provided the only offense of the week for the Stags, who scored one run in 27 innings.
Fairleigh Dickinson (0-6, 2-14) - The Knights are happy to be back home, as they lost six games last week, and all eight games in all, on their west coast trip. They were swept by St. Mary’s 13-3, 11-6, on Monday, and dropped four straight to San Francisco. The Dons won by scores of 6-0, 7-4, 9-2, 11-1.
Fordham (2-2, 11-7) - Alex Kenny had three hits and two RBI as the Rams managed to salvage the final game of their three game series with St. Bonaventure, 9-7, as they start the Atlantic-10 1-2 on the season. In the first two games of the series St. Bonaventure outpitched the Rams, winning 4-0 and 3-2 (12 inning) contests. The Rams opened the week with a 10-1 trouncing of NY Tech.
Hofstra (2-4, 6-15) - Despite Matt Prokopowicz’s bat starting to heat up, Hofstra dropped to 0-9 in the Colonial, dropping three games to Towson (5-2, 7-4, 6-0). An early week split with Albany(3-5, 4-1) and a victory over Iona (12-5) raised the Pride’s record to 6-15 on the season. Prokopowicz went 8 for 21, with 9 RBI on the week, as the sophomore tries to match last season’s output. Considering he hit .416 a season ago, even this past week is below those standards – mighty high standards to live up to.
Iona (1-2, 1-14) - Chris Leahy two RBI in the ninth inning helped the Gaels to the first win of the season, 5-2 over St. Peter’s, in the first of two on Saturday. The Peacocks bounced back to hand the Gaels a 6-5 loss with a run in the bottom of the ninth, as Iona slipped to 1-14 on the season. The Gaels opened the week with a 12-5 loss to Hofstra.
Manhattan (2-1, 6-10-1) - The hot bats of Kevin Nieto and Dom Lombardi carried the Jaspers to a series win over Rider in MAAC play over the weekend. Manhattan jumped out in game 1 with a 20-3 victory, behind four RBI by Nieto and three hits and four runs scored by Lombardi. After dropping the second game 4-1, the Jaspers bounced back with a 7-3 victory in the series finale. Lombardi had three hits in each of the victories, while Nieto had six hits in the series.
Marist (2-1, 4-8) - The Red Foxes took advantage of four George Mason errors en route to a 5-4 win in a non-conference game, before splitting a pair with of shutouts with Fairfield. The Red Foxes lost 1-0 in their MAAC opener, before bouncing back the a 3-0 victory in the nightcap.
Monmouth (0-0, 3-8) - No one wants a week off during the season, but the Hawks were given one, due to the cancellation of a single game with St. Peter’s and a three game set with Vermont. Monmouth returns to the field (hopefully) on Wednesday with a game against Temple.
New Jersey Tech (0-4, 2-14) - An eight game losing streak, as much a due to over-scheduling as anything else, is where the Highlanders sit in season II in Division I. Losses to Miami (Fl) 13-1, and Florida Atlantic 21-11, can be written off to over-ambition, while a 4-1 loss to LIU was to Gotham’s hottest team. Cornell’s 17-2 pasting was just ugly.
NY Tech (0-1, 4-4) - A 10-1 loss to Fordham was the only game that was played, as the weather and the holiday weekend forced the cancellation of their three game series with Maine.
Princeton (1-6, 7-9) - No one can accuse the Tigers of ducking competition, but 1-6 records still hurt, no matter how noble the scheduling. Overmatched in their first three losses of the weekend in North Carolina, the Tigers dropped a 13-2 decision to UNC-Greensboro on Monday, and a pair of mid-week games to third-ranked North Carolina (7-0, 8-2) before traveling to Navy for a four-game set.
If it were bowling, Princeton would have taken total wood, as the Tigers dropped three of four, despite outscoring Navy 26-12.
No one can look at catcher Jack Murphy, who is off to the best start of any player in the Northeast, to do any more. Murphy was 16-for-30, with nine RBI, and had a hit in each of the seven games played during the week.
Quinnipiac (1-0, 3-8) - The Bobcats win over Holy Cross, 7-3, was their only action of the week. Andy Mayer picked up the win, with six innings of work, allowing one run, while shortstop John Delaney had three hits and two RBI.
Rider (2-3, 8-8) - James Hayes had two saves, and catcher Sean Olson picked his 100th career hit as the Broncs went 2-3 for the week, splitting with Wofford – a 6-4 loss in the opener and a 5-4 win in the nightcap (both in seven innings) and losing two of three to Manhattan in the MAAC opening series.
Rutgers (0-4, 5-12) - It was not a week to remember for the Scarlet Knights, as they dropped a single game to Florida Atlantic (10-1) and a three-game set to St. John’s in Big East play.
Only Casey Gaynor (6 IP, 8HA, 2 ER) gave the Scarlet Knights a strong start over the week, as FAU roughed up Jon McCue (5.1 innings, 7 runs), tagging the right-hander with his first loss in two seasons. St. John’s roughed up Steve Holt in Thursday’s Big East opener, scoring six runs in three innings, and third starter Matt Giannini for nine runs, six earned in six innings on Saturday.
Sacred Heart (0-4, 1-16) - The rough week for Northeast Conference teams continued as the Pioneers dropped four games without a win throughout the week. A 7-2 loss to in-state rival Connecticut started the week, before a trip to the Big East was anything but, as the Green Wave won 8-0, 5-2, and 12-0.
Saint Peter’s (2-1, 7-8) - A big out-of-conference win for the Peacocks highlighted the week, as Conner Mullee had two hits and four RBI as St. Peter’s beat Seton Hall, 9-6. Jeff Bayse picked up the win, allowing the Pirates six runs, three earned in 7.1 innings. A split of their MAAC conference opening series with Iona saw the Peacocks drop a 5-2 decision before winning the nightcap 6-5. Mullee had six RBI for the Peacocks during the week.
Seton Hall (3-1, 10-10) - It was a good week for the Hall, which started off with a 12-9 loss to St. Peter’s. When Big East play rolled around, the Pirates behind strong pitching, swept Villanova, to sit atop the Big East (with St. John’s) after one weekend of play.
Corey Young (7 IP, 3H) and Sean Black combined to shutout the Wildcats 4-0 on Thursday’s opening doubleheader. The Pirates scored in the bottom of the ninth to earn a Matt Singer a 3-2 victory. Saturday saw the Pirates roll to a series sweep with a 13-0 victory. Greg Miller picked up the win, while Joe Talerico’s three RBI was key for the Pirates, who scored four runs in the first inning to jump on the Wildcats.
Stony Brook (2-4, 6-9) - A tough week brought a tough record for the Sea Wolves, but it could pave the way to a strong run late in the season, as Stony Brook has one of the toughest schedule’s in Gotham. The week opened with a pair of losses to Virginia (3-0, 6-4), and a solid victory over George Mason (16-3). A disappointing series over the weekend with Longwood started with a 7-6 win, but ended with a 7-3 and 8-6 loss.
St. John’s (4-0, 16-4) - The Red Storm extended their win streak to nine, completing last weekend’s sweep of Fairfield (delayed by rain) on Monday, and sweeping Big East rival Rutgers Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Matt Tosoni (6 IP, 2HA, 4K) Miguel Valcarcel (2 IP, 1 W, 3K) and Rich Armento (IP, 2K) combined to shutout Fairfield 11-0. Scott Barnes survived a tough outing, giving up five runs in seven innings, striking out 10, in 12-5 victory over Rutgers. George Brown (7 IP, 3HA, 3K, 0R) outpitched Rutgers ace Casey Gaynor, and Justin Gutsie and Colin Lynch closed the deal on a 2-0 victory.
Lynch picked up his second save of the weekend, and his fifth of the season, in Saturday’s 12-9 victory. Carlos DelRosario was one of seven Red Storm players with hits, and drove in three runs, to spark the offense.
Wagner (1-5, 5-9) - The Seahawks strugged through the holiday week, opening the week with a series loss to Central Florida which saw Wagner no-hit on St. Patrick’s Day. Easter Sunday had the Seahawks lose their second of three games to Winthrop, 4-1. Jack Rice allowed two runs in eight innings on Saturday to pick up the only win of the week for Wagner.
DIVISION II & DIVISION III RECAP Presented By
Dominican (3-3, 5-9) - A pair of doubleheader splits with Southern Connecticut (3-2, 0-5) and Merrimack (3-0, 0-3) were the continuation of a see-saw week, as the Chargers dropped the opening game of the week, 17-5 to Nova Southeastern, and a 9-7 win over Dowling opened the week.
Felician (2-3, 6-8) - A two-game win streak turned into a three game losing streak as the Falcons had an up-and-down week in Florida. After crushing St. Michael’s 15-0, with an 11-run first inning setting the down, and Jeff Calabrese earning a 3-2 victory on Tuesday, the week came to disappointing close with a tough 2-1 in a doubleheader split with Hillsdale, and getting swept by Minnesota-Duluth, 8-3, 7-2.
Mike Buckelow had three hits and five RBI against St. Michael’s to lead the offense.
Kean (4-1, 13-4) - Joe Bartlinski (3-1) threw 8 innings of four-hit ball, but it was not enough, as Kean lost to Chapman 1-0, in a rematch of last Saturday’s loss, 19-2. The good news for the Cougars was that it was, once again, the only loss in a 4-1 week, as Kean returned home from a 6-2 trip to the West Coast.
Bryan Burke (9-for-19, 5 rbi, 7 runs) and Derek Gianakas (10-21, 9 RBI, 6 runs) led the Kean offense, in wins over the University of the Redlands (9-6), Whittier (25-9), and a sweep of Keystone by 8-7 scores.
Montclair State (3-2, 4-6) - he Red Hawks will not be disputing the ranking of SUNY Cortland anytime soon. With a chance to turn around a disappointing start to the season, Montclair, entering the weekend with a three-game win streak, dropped a weekend series to Cortland, 11-2, 8-4.
The week started with three impressive wins, over U. Mass- Boston (13-8), Keene State 10-5, and Brockport State, 16-5 in Tempe to end the Red Hawks Arizona trip. Outfielder Ed Kloepping was 8-for-17, with 8 RBI and six runs scored during the five game stretch.
New Jersey City University (1-0, 5-10) - Senior second baseman Andrew Decibus went 5-for-5 with five RBIs as the Gothic Knights scored in each of the first five innings en route to a 14-3 victory over Baruch College on Tuesday, in their only game of the week.
Pace (3-4, 10-7) - A busy week, as the Setters split a doubleheader with West Chester (13-2, 2-3), dropped a doubleheader to Barton (9-5, 7-6) and pick up wins in contests with UNC-Penbrooke (13-4), Chowan (10-9) and a loss to Christopher Newport (11-5). Jack Cawley (.359, 5, 19) Matt Rigoli (.316, 0, 10) continued their hot start for the Setters.
Ramapo (1-2, 9-6) - Dan Mulligan struck out 11, allowing five hits, to salvage the nightcap in a doubleheader with Farmingdale State, 12-0. Ramapo dropped a 9-8 decision in the opener, allowing four runs in the final inning. An 8-5 loss to John Jay started the week for the Roadrunners.
Rutgers-Newark (3-2, 6-8) - The Scarlet Raiders competed a successful trip to California with a victory over Whittier, 17-9, as super frosh Matt Connors scored four runs and had four hits, and sophomore designated hitter Alex Yeshita had four hits and four RBI, in a 17-9 win. After opening the week with wins over Franklin and Marshall (3-2) and 18th-ranked Redlands, (6-5), the Scarlet Raiders dropped games to Pomona-Pitzer (8-7) and Claremont-McKenna (16-4).
Stevens Institute of Technology (2-2, 4-10) - Ken Meerendonk had four hits and four RBI, scoring four times, as the Ducks trounced Fitchburg 18-7. The Ducks opened the week with a split of a doubleheader against Miliken, taking the opener 6-1, and losing the nightcap 10-1. They lost the finale of the week to Loras College, 6-0.
The College of New Jersey (1-0, 10-2) - Jeff Toth went two-for-three with four RBI as the Lions won their only matchup of the week, 9-1, over Haverford. The Lions, ranked sixth in Division III, had matchups with College of Staten Island and Ursinus cancelled due to weather conditions during the week. Mike Oliver pitched seven innings for the win, while Bob Buskett finished it off for the Lions.
William Paterson (3-2, 7-6) - The hot bats of Vin Joyce (10-for-21) and Mike Guadango (8-for-21, 7 RBI) led the Pioneers to a 3-2 week during their West Coast swing. The week ended on a positive note, beating Southern Maine, 13-2, and Concordia College, 6-1. The Pioneers opened the week with a loss to Brockport, 6-5, a win over Springfield, 13-11, and a loss to Keene State 18-6.
GBM College Pitcher of the Week: Mike Oliver (TCNJ)
Freshman of the Week: Clint Moore (Army)
Five wins in six games for the Blackbirds, as sophomore James Jones’ potent bat came to life, slugging three home runs over the course of the week. 
