Baseball Announces Recruiting Class
Dec 04 | Baseball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Head coach Joe Litterio and the Rutgers baseball program have announced the signing of six players to its most recent recruiting class. All six players hail from the state of New Jersey.
The group includes Nick Matera (Roxbury, N.J.), Mike Martinez (West New York, N.J.), Dante Scafidi (Washington Township, N.J.), Thomas Genuario (Saddle Brook, N.J.), Luke Bowerbank (Bernardsville, N.J.) and Patrick Knight (Cranford, N.J.).
"This is a strong class," Litterio said. "Coach Tim Reilly and coach Casey Gaynor did a great job with filling our needs. This group will play a large part in our success for years to come."
Nick Matera
C/RHP | 6-2 | 200 | R/R
Roxbury, N.J./Roxbury
Notes: Returning to Roxbury for 2015 season after competing at Morris Catholic during junior and sophomore seasons ... played at Roxbury freshman year ... First-Team All-Morris County, All-Conference and Third Team All-State by The Star-Ledger as a junior ... led Morris County in 2014 with five home runs, hitting .408 with 31 hits, 12 doubles and 35 RBIs ... also went 1-0 with a 1.03 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 14 innings of work on the mound and threw out 90 percent of base-stealers from behind the plate ... hit .407 as a sophomore ... batted .328 as a freshman with 17 RBIs to earn honorable mention all-conference ... named Freshman Student-Athlete of the Year ... played travel baseball with the Morris County Cubs for 10 years, winning MVP six times ... son of Mike and Lisa Matera ... has three brothers: Mike, Frankie and Richie ... born Aug. 29, 1996.
Mike Martinez
OF/LHP | 5-9 | 165 | L/L
West New York, N.J./Bergen Catholic
Notes: Entering third year as a varsity baseball player at Bergen Catholic ... named Second Team All-State by The Star-Ledger and First Team All-New Jersey by MSG Varsity as a junior ... helped Bergen Catholic to 2014 Big North United Division title ... batted .364 with 32 runs, 19 RBIs, five triples and 17 stolen bases as a junior ... hit .434 with 35 runs scored, 21 RBIs, 13 doubles, two home runs, two triples and 19 stolen bases as a sophomore ... also hit .472 with runners in scoring position that season ... played club baseball with SACSN National Team ... plans to major in business with a concentration in finance ... son of Jose and Olga Martinez ... has two sisters, Alexa and Marissa ... born March 6, 1997.
Dante Scafidi
LHP | 6-1 | 180 | S/L
Washington Township, N.J./Gloucester Catholic
Notes: Missed entire junior season and the majority of his sophomore season at Gloucester Catholic due to injury ... named a Louisville Slugger High School All-American ... made the varsity roster as a freshman, going 4-0 in five starts with a 1.67 ERA and 26 strikeouts ... helped team to New Jersey State Championship that season ... came within one strike of a no-hitter in first start as a sophomore ... selected as a 2013 High School Underclass All-Star and to participate in SelectFest 2013 ... played on the South Jersey Young Guns and the Gallagher's Team Mizuno 18U team during the summer in 2014 ... participated with Gallagher's Team Mizuno 17U and Farrah Scout teams during the summer in 2013 ... played during the fall of 2014 for Baseball U ... member of the National Honors Society and student council at Gloucester Catholic ... plans to major in supply chain management ... son of Joe and Francine Scafidi ... born Sept. 14, 1996.
Thomas Genuario
OF | 6-2 | 180 | R/R
Saddle Brook, N.J./St. Mary
Notes: Varsity starter since sophomore year at St. Mary High School in Rutherford, N.J. ... ranked No. 7 outfielder in New Jersey by Perfect Game ... will be a team captain as a senior ... first team all-league selection as a junior ... selected to play in the 2014 Garden State Underclass Games, comprised of the top-100 prospects in the Garden State ... also invited to attend SelectFest in 2014 ... competed with the Jersey Seminoles this past summer ... has also played with the Jersey YardDawgs and Wladyka baseball travel teams ... won MVP at 18U World Series at Diamond Nation ... honor roll student since freshman year ... plans to major in criminal justice ... son of Christine and Thomas Genuario ... has a younger brother, Nicholas ... born July 15, 1997.
Luke Bowerbank
OF | 5-8 | 165 | L/L
Bernardsville, N.J./Bernards
Notes: Three-year varsity starter at Bernards ... named First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Group 2 and First Team All-County by The Star Ledger in 2014 ... also named Second Team All-Area by the Courier News and Second Team All-New Jersey by MSG Varsity as a junior ... hit .474 that season with 54 hits, 33 runs, 33 RBIs and a .517 on-base percentage ... team won North 1, Group 2 Section title and reached state championship game ... second team all-conference performer as a sophomore after hitting .410 with 25 hits, 22 runs, 17 RBIs and a .500 on-base percentage ... team won Somerset County ... played for the New Jersey Angels club team for three years ... also a varsity three-year varsity starter in football and two-year varsity starter in basketball at Bernards ... son of John and Sara Bowerbank ... has one brother, Scott, and one sister, Emma ... father played basketball at Moravian College ... grandfather, Michael, played baseball at the University of Miami (Fla.) ... born Nov. 16, 1996.
Patrick Knight
LHP | 6-2 | 170 | L/L
Cranford, N.J./Cranford
Notes: Pitched to a 1.73 ERA as a junior at Cranford ... won North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 title ... struck out 59 in 56.2 innings ... also hit .438 with 28 hits and 16 runs ... named first team all-conference, second team all-county and third team all-group ... pitched in the Union vs. Essex All-Star Game and Underclassmen Games ... played club ball with the Ballpark Bulldogs ... son of Kevin and Barbara Knight ... has two older brothers, Jimmy and Eric ... Jimmy played four years of baseball at Ramapo College of New Jersey ... born June 28, 1997.
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