PISCATAWAY, NJ – The Villanova Wildcats scored seven
runs over the first two innings and held on for a 7-6 win in the season finale
today at the Class of ’53 Complex, handing Rutgers (30-23, 13-11 BE)
its sixth-straight conference loss and third-straight by one run. Today’s
loss overshadowed a stellar pitching performance from sophomore Jimmy Jansen
(Hillsdale, NJ), who allowed four hits and no runs over the final 7.1 innings.
It also signaled the end of the 2004 season – the first time in 19 years
that Rutgers will not advance to the postseason.
On Senior Day, Shaun Parker (Mt. Holly, NJ) earned the start, but lasted just
1.2 innings, allowing four hits and seven runs (three earned) in his final
RU start. A three-run double by Adrian Schau highlighted a four-run first and
an error in the second allowed Villanova to keep the inning alive for Bryan
Trotta, who dumped a two-out, two-run single into right to cap a three-run
second.
Rutgers was held scoreless until the fifth, when Colin Gaynor (Toms River,
NJ) doubled down the line in left and scored on Tim Querns’ (Cherry Hill,
NJ) single to center. RU added four more in the sixth against a tiring Kevin
Mulvey as the first five hitters of the inning reached base on four hits and
a hit batsman. Jeff Frazier (Toms River, NJ) beat out an infield single to
start things off and moved to second on a single from Rich Canuso (Monroe,
NJ). Gaynor was hit in the back to load the bases for Nick Cerulo (Woodbridge,
NJ), who singled to right-center to cut the lead to 7-2. Cory Rodriguez (Bridgewater,
NJ) then followed with a two-run single to center, closing the gap to 7-4 with
no one out. On the next play, Querns apparently reached safely on a fielder’s
choice, but was called out when Rodriguez overslid the second-base bag. Jason
Grover (Montgomery, NJ) followed with a double, but was stranded.
After a scoreless seventh and eighth, Rutgers threatened in the ninth when
David Williams (Sparta, NJ) stroked a two-out triple to center and scored on
Frazier’s single. With the tying run on first, VU reliever Mike Ciccotelli
struck out Canuso to end the game and the Scarlet Knights’ season.
Parker (3-3) suffered the loss, while nine different RU players collected
hits, led by Frazier, who was 2-for-5.
** 2004 RUTGERS BASEBALL **
Villanova at Rutgers
May 23, 2004 at Piscataway, NJ (Class of 53 Complex)
Villanova 7 (31-20-1,10-13) Rutgers 6 (30-23,13-11)
Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI
--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
Molloy, Kris cf............ 5 2 2 0 BADGER, Graig 2b........... 4 0 1 0
Petracca, Angelo 3b........ 5 2 2 0 GROSE, Jeff lf............. 1 0 0 0
Poydenis, Danny dh......... 4 1 0 0 WILLIAMS, David lf........ 4 1 1 0
Newbold, Brian lf.......... 5 0 1 0 FRAZIER, Jeff rf........... 5 1 2 1
Schau, Adrian 1b........... 2 1 1 4 CANUSO, Rich 1b............ 4 1 1 0
Trotta, Brian ss........... 2 0 1 2 GAYNOR, Colin c............ 3 2 1 0
Cirone, Frank rf........... 3 0 0 0 CERULO, Nick cf............ 3 1 1 1
Wendle, Andy c............. 4 0 0 0 RODRIGUEZ, Cory dh......... 4 0 1 2
Cardillo, Mark 2b.......... 3 1 1 0 QUERNS, Tim 3b............. 4 0 1 1
Mulvey, Kevin p............ 0 0 0 0 GROVER, Jason ss........... 3 0 1 0
Aust, Ted p............... 0 0 0 0 PARKER, Shaun p............ 0 0 0 0
Grodecki, Mike p.......... 0 0 0 0 JANSEN, Jim p............. 0 0 0 0
Ciccotelli, Mike p........ 0 0 0 0
Totals..................... 33 7 8 6 Totals..................... 35 6 10 5
Score by Innings R H E
-------------------------------------------
Villanova........... 430 000 000 - 7 8 0
Rutgers............. 000 014 001 - 6 10 2
-------------------------------------------
E - Badger; Gaynor. DP - VU 1; Rutgers 1. LOB - VU 6; Rutgers 7. 2B - Schau;
Gaynor(11); Grover(9). 3B - Newbold; Williams(1). HBP - Poydenis, D.; Schau; Cirone;
Cardillo; Gaynor. SB - Schau 3; Cardillo.
Villanova IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mulvey, Kevin W,7-4....... 5.0 6 5 5 3 2 1 0 1 0 20 24 6 6
Aust, Ted ................. 1.0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 4 4 0 2
Grodecki, Mike ............ 2.0 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 6 7 0 3
Ciccotelli, Mike S,4...... 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 5 5 0 2
Rutgers IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
PARKER, Shaun L,3-3....... 1.2 4 7 3 2 2 0 0 2 0 10 14 2 1
JANSEN, Jim ............... 7.1 4 0 0 1 3 0 0 2 0 23 26 6 10
WP - Mulvey; Aust. HBP - by Parker (Poydenis, D.); by Parker (Cardillo); by Jansen
(Cirone); by Mulvey (Gaynor); by Jansen (Schau). PB - Wendle.
Strikeouts - Molloy; Poydenis, D. 2; Newbold 2; Williams; Frazier; Canuso; Gaynor;
Rodriguez; Grover. Walks - Schau; Trotta 2; Badger; Canuso; Cerulo; Grover.
Umpires -
Start: 12:00 pm Time: 3:10 Attendance: 150
Game notes:
ID-243166
Mulvey faced 4 batters in the 6th.
