#13 MIDDLESEX BASEBALL SWEEPS BERGEN, EXTENDS WINNING STREAK TO 15

Middlesex College Baseball continues to steamroll towards the regular season finish line, extending their winning streak to 15 games with a three-game sweep over Bergen CC.

The Colts, who are ranked #13 nationally, scored 38 total runs in the three game set, winning by scores of 15-4, 8-6 and 15-1. Middlesex last lost a game on March 29 and is now 28-10 on the season.

In Game 1 of the series, the Colts and Bulldogs battled closely with Middlesex trailing Bergen going into the final two innings. The Colts bats woke up in a big way though, scored six runs in both the sixth and seventh inning to end with a decisive victory.

Bergen was able to get to starter Ryan Pozo (Sophomore/Fords, NJ) for four runs, forcing head coach CJ Mooney to turn to Nick Diaz (Sophomore/Hamilton, NJ) in relief. Diaz turned in 4.1 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Diaz struck out seven batters over that time and picked up the win.

Middlesex banged out 16 hits in the game, with Kiefer Goss (Sophomore/Hamilton, NJ) and Connor Luckie (Sophomore/Hamilton, NJ) having three hits each. Goss went 3-4 with three runs, a double and stolen base while Luckie went 3-5 with a run, three RBIs and a stolen base.

Jordan Brown (Sophomore/Piscataway, NJ) belted his first career home run, a grand slam, as part of a five-RBI effort. Thomas O'Halloran (Freshman/Fords, NJ), Michael Wansaw (Freshman/Elizabeth, NJ) and Braden Ramirez (Sophomore/Middlesex, NJ) had two hits each.

In the second game of the series, Middlesex again relied on a key relief performance in a close battle while the bats took care of business.

The Colts jumped out to a 3-0 first-inning lead and added an insurance run in the top of the third. Bergen however tied the game off the starter, Wansaw, with four in the bottom of the third. The teams scored two runs each in the fourth and with the game tied at six going into the fifth, Mooney turned to Gage Bendix (Sophomore/Piscataway, NJ) to stave off the Bergen attack.

Bendix responded with three scoreless innings out of the pen, allowing just two hits to pick up the win in relief.

Bendix got the support he needed when Ramirez blasted his fourth home run of the season in the sixth to put Middlesex up 8-6. The Colts held on for the win from there.

O'Halloran stayed hot at the plate going 3-4 with two runs, an RBI, a double and triple. Luckie went 2-3 with an RBI and a walk. Giovanni Aresta (Sophomore/Old Bridge, NJ) doubled home a run and scored a run himself.

After the drama of the first two games, Middlesex was able to play most of the third game with a large cushion as they secured the sweep.

The Colts used an eight-run third inning to break a 1-1 tie and cruised to a 15-1 victory from there.

Five Colts recorded multi-hit games in support of the reigning NJCAAA Division III Pitcher of the Week, Isaiah Figueroa (Sophomore/Old Bridge, NJ), who was back on the mound after hurling a two-hitter against #6 Brookdale.

Wansaw was the hitting star, going 3-5 with a three runs and two RBIs. Ramirez went 2-3 with two runs, two RBIs, a double and a home run. His homer was the fifth of the season and 14^th of his stellar career.

Goss went 2-4 with a run, RBI, double and stolen base and Luckie went 2-4 with two runs, three RBIs, a double and stolen base. Roberto Gonzalez (Freshman/South Plainfield, NJ) went 2-4 with a run, RBI, double and stolen base as well.

Figueroa went six innings and allowed just three hits and a run with 10 strikeouts. The righty improved his record to 5-1 on the season.

With this big weekend, O'Halloran now has 63 hits on the season, the second highest total in Region 19 and sixth best nationally. Luckie's 45 RBIs rank sixth in Region 19 and 18^th nationally. As a team, Middlesex has 117 steals on the season, tops in Region 19 and eighth overall nationally among NJCAA Division III schools.  

Middlesex looks to extend its winning streak when they take on Bucks CC Wednesday at home. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30PM.