Box Score


NEWARK, NJ—In a game that came down to timely execution, it was visiting Texas-Pan American that delivered more timely hits, made more plays on defense, and made more big pitches en route to a 5-3 win over NJIT Friday night at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium in the first game of a four-game Great West Conference baseball series between the teams.
 
Friday's close win gives Texas-Pan American (11-6 Great West, 24-14 overall) a significant leg up on NJIT (9-8 Great West, 18-20 overall) in the race for second place in the Great West. The teams will meet three more times this weekend as they are two of four teams that entered play with either 10-6 or 9-7 records in the conference.
 
The Highlanders, who began conference play 9-2, have lost their last six GWC games—the fourth game at home to North Dakota on April 21, followed by all four at runaway first-place leader Utah Valley last weekend, and now the series opener vs. UTPA.
 
Texas-Pan American which never trailed Friday night, scored four of its five runs in the game when two were out in the inning. On defense, the Broncs turned four double plays, including one to end the game. And, despite the four double plays, their two pitchers, starter Colby McCasland and reliever and winning pitcher Zach Zouzalik, still needed to make some big pitches when they needed to, as NJIT stranded 11 runners.
 
McCasland, who was credited with four innings pitched, faced two batters in the fifth, both of whom reached base, bringing on the senior right-hander Zouzalik, who would up his season record to 7-1, all in 19 relief appearances, with five strong innings.
 
McCasland allowed six hits and seven walks, but allowed just two runs and struck out three. Zouzalik allowed one of his inherited runners to score and later allowed a run of his own in the ninth inning for a line of five innings, three hits, two walks, one run and one strikeout. He also hit a batter.
 
NJIT's starter, junior right-hander Mark Leiter, Jr. took the loss, falling to 4-6. He pitched eight innings and allowed seven hits and five runs (three earned), while striking out nine and walking three. Sophomore RHP Jake Porcello pitched the scoreless ninth for the Highlanders, allowing one hit and striking out one.
 
Texas-Pan American got eight hits—all singles—with two apiece for 1B Roger Bernal, CF Adrian De La Rosa, and 3B Riley Goulding.
 
For Bernal, the second hitter in the UTPA batting order, the 2-for-4 night marked his sixth straight multi-hit game and raised his batting average to .426, fifth-highest in NCAA Division I.
 
However, it was the lower part of the Broncs batting order that did much of the damage to NJIT, as De La Rosa was 2-for-4 with a run scored from the seven spot, Goulding was 2-for-3, with two runs scored and one batted in from the eight spot and Shane Klemcke, the ninth-place hitter, was 1-for-4, while reaching on an error with two outs that saw UTPA score its fifth run.
 
NJIT, which managed 19 baserunners, but only three runs, got a 3-for-5 night with a run scored and two batted in from freshman CF Ed Charlton, who was batting cleanup for the first time in the absence of the injured DJ Roche, NJIT's season batting average leader (.329). Senior catcher Bryan Bleakley went 2-for-4 and he and Charlton each hit doubles.
 
The Broncs struck on an unearned run in the top of the first inning. With one out, Bernal singled to right center field and advanced a base when his hit was bobbled in the outfield. He moved up to third on a ground out and came in to score on a wild pitch to Mike McCarthy, who eventually struck out looking to end the inning.
 
The Highlanders got the run back in the bottom half of the inning and had the bases loaded with one out, but couldn't get any more, as UTPA turned a nifty 3-6-1 double play to end the threat. With one out, SS Jeff Peterson singled and later moved to second base when a pickoff attempt from the pitcher went astray for Texas-Pan American's only error of the night. 3B Matt Weckerle's single to right field moved Peterson ahead to third base and he scored when Charlton's grounder into the shortstop/third base hole just slipped past the diving Bronc shortstop Klemcke for an RBI single. A subsequent walk loaded the bases, setting the stage for the inning-ending double play.
 
The Highlanders had a chance to do something in the bottom of the second inning, as Bleakley led off with a double to the deepest part of the park in left center field and they later loaded the bases, but to no avail, making it five runners left on base through the first two innings.
 
The failure to cash in on their chances haunted the Highlanders immediately, as Texas-Pan American went ahead on a run in the third inning without benefit of a hit. Goulding led off with a walk and then moved ahead to second base on a passed ball and to third on Klemcke's ground out. DH Derek Hagy then hit a sharp ground ball to NJIT first baseman Tom Bouck, who got in front of it before the ball glanced off his glove momentarily for an error, allowing Goulding to score, making it 2-1, Broncs.
 
Goulding scored the third Texas-Pan American run in the top of the fifth inning, as he stroked a one-out hit and moved up on a single by Klemcke. After Leiter recorded the first of his two strikeouts in the inning, Bernal came through with a big two-out single to left, driving home Goulding, who scored easily from second base.
 
NJIT got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Charlton led off with a double and RF James D'Aloia followed with a walk. Charlton appeared to be picked off second base, but he used his speed to steal third when the pickoff throw went behind him. He then scored from third on a 4-6-3 double play turned by the Broncs.
 
Texas-Pan American stretched its lead to 5-2 with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the sixth inning. With two out and no one on base, 2B Vincent Mejia walked and De La Rosa followed with a single. Then Goulding continued to do damage from the number eight spot in the batting order, singling to drive in a run. The next batter, Klemcke, dropped down a drag bunt that Leiter fielded, but his throw to first base went wide and down the first base line for the third Highlander error in six innings. De La Rosa came around to score on the play, but Goulding, running behind De La Rosa, was thrown out, as D'Aloia, the right fielder, played the ball in to the first baseman, Bouck, whose relay throw home nailed Goulding for the third out.
 
NJIT picked up its third run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but again saw its hopes dashed on a game-ending double play. The first two batters, Mike Rampone and Jeff Peterson, walk and after an out, Charlton singled to right center, bringing in Rampone before the game ended on the fourth double-play ground out of the night for the Highlanders.
 
The series will continue on Saturday at 1 pm with a doubleheader.