New Jersey left-hander Isaac Pavlik (1-1), who did not return to the mound after the one hour, 15 minute delay following the final out of the fifth inning, tossed five shutout frames in his first start of the season to earn the win. The New Jersey native scattered four hits, walked two, and struck out three. Pavlik had appeared in four games out of the Jackals bullpen this season after leading the team with 18 starts in 2009.

The Jackals collected a season-high seven extra-base hits as they built an early 7-0 lead against Brockton starter Logan Williamson. In the first inning, a two-out RBI double to left center by first baseman Jabe Bergeron was followed by a two-run single off the bat of left fielder Jordan Newton to give the Jackals a 3-0 advantage. The Jackals extended their lead to 6-0 in the third when designated hitter Jacob Butler launched a two-run home run to right center before shortstop Mike DeJesus added with a run-scoring double down the left field line.

After the Jackals plated a run in the bottom of the fifth on a Bergeron double and a Newton RBI single to make it 7-0, the skies opened up, forcing the tarp onto the field.

Once the teams returned to action, Brockton put up five runs against reliever Luis Fernandez in the top of the sixth to pull within two at 7-5. Fernandez retired the first two batters he faced before loading the bases on a walk by third baseman Phillip Cuadrado, a single by second baseman Scott Wearne, and a bunt single from shortstop Dominic Ramos. Rookie catcher Dan Coury laced his second double of the contest to cut the Brockton deficit to 7-2. Two batters later, right fielder Keith Brachold continued his hot hitting in the series when he tripled to center with the bases loaded before Fernandez escaped the jam by retiring first baseman Melvin Falu to preserve the two-run Jackals’ lead.

In the top of the ninth, Brockton used a Falu walk and a single by left fielder Mike Conroy to put the tying run on base with one out, but Jackals closer Romas Hicks induced a game-ending double play off the bat of Cuadrado to seal the win. Hicks has saved all five of New Jersey’s victories this season.

In the win, New Jersey’s Dan Griffin and Mike Pontius each chipped in a scoreless inning of relief. The loss went to Williamson (0-1), who surrendered seven runs on nine hits in five innings of work. Offensively, Newton went 3-for-4 and drove in three runs for the second straight contest to finish the series 8-for-16 with seven RBIs.

The Jackals enjoy their first day off this season on Monday before beginning a three-game series against the Pittsfield Colonials on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m at Yogi Berra Stadium. The game-one pitching matchup will feature a rematch of last Wednesday’s contest as New Jersey sends left-hander A.J. Wideman (1-1, 3.37 ERA) to the mound on his 25^th birthday against Pittsfield southpaw and former Jackal Dave Qualben (0-1, 2.46 ERA). Pittsfield took two of three from New Jersey earlier this week in Massachusetts. Cody Chrusciel has the live call on the Jackals webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

Jackal Bites: Pavlik earned his 36^th career win in a Jackals uniform, moving him within one of tying Aaron Myers for the second-most in team history…  With runners on second and third in the second inning, a diving Argenis Reyes snagged a liner off the bat of Brockton center fielder Chris Valencia to end the inning and keep the Rox off the scoreboard… The Jackals did not commit an error in the four-game series against Brockton. They lead the league in fielding percentage and have committed a league-low seven errors in 11 contests… Brachold drove in seven runs in the series for Brockton… The Rox are now 0-6 when their opponent scores the game’s first run… Brockton’s six losses have been by a total of just eight runs while New Jersey’s five wins have come by seven runs.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2010 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

The game’s first three innings were scoreless as both starting pitchers, Brockton RHP Freddy Flores and New Jersey RHP Chris Allen, started the game strong. The Jackals (4-6) drew first blood in the fourth inning on a two-out, two-run double by C Jordan Newton.

It remained 2-0 Jackals until the top of the sixth when CF Chris Valencia led off with a single and then Brachold followed with the two-run longball to right field. The homer was Brachold’s second of the campaign. Brockton then jumped ahead in the seventh when Brachold sent a seeing-eye single through the right side of the infield to plate C Chris Grossman.

The 3-2 advantage for the Rox did not last long. In the bottom of the seventh New Jersey tied it up on a wild pitch which scored Newton from third base. The Jackals then assumed a two-run lead in the eighth on an RBI single by LF Jacob Butler and a sacrifice fly RBI from Newton.

Down 5-3, Brockton would score a run against Jackals closer RHP Romas Hicks in the ninth. With two outs, Valencia reached on an infield single. Brachold then sent a deep shot to right field that hit the top of the wall for an RBI double. After Brachold moved to third on a passed ball, 1B Melvin Falu would fly out to right to end the game.

RHP Edward Rodriguez (1-1) earned the win for New Jersey out of the pen, throwing 1.1 perfect innings with one strikeout. Hicks picked up his fourth save in as many attempts for the Jackals. Brockton RHP Santo Maertz (0-2) was saddled with the defeat after he put the go-ahead run on base in the eighth.

Both starters received no-decisions. Allen for the Jackals allowed three earned runs on ten hits in 6.2 innings with one walk and no strikeouts. Flores was solid again in 6+ innings, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

New Jersey’s Newton was 2-for-3, driving in three runs, while his teammates 2B Abraham Nunez and Butler each had multiple hits. Valencia for Brockton was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Grossman added a 2-for-4 day for the Rox.

The finale of the four-game series is set for Sunday afternoon with a 2:05 first pitch. It will be LHP Logan Williamson (0-0, 1.35 ERA) on the mound for the Rox against New Jersey LHP Isaac Pavlik (0-0, 1.59). Brockton will then continue their nine-game road trip with two games at the Sussex Skyhawks on Monday and Tuesday evening.

Clark staked New Jersey to a 2-0 lead against former Jackal Dave Qualben when he homered to right to lead off the game before lifting a solo shot with one out in the third. Pittsfield plated a run in the bottom of the third on an RBI double by second baseman Danny Bomback, but that’s all the Colonials would muster against Jackals’ starter A.J. Wideman (1-1), who struck out five and allowed six hits in 5 2/3 innings to earn his first win of the season.

The Jackals tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by second baseman Argenis Reyes following doubles by Clark and catcher Jordan Newton to take a 4-1 lead before turning the ball over to closer Romas Hicks in the bottom of the frame. Hicks surrendered three hits, including an RBI single off the bat of shortstop Matt Nandin, but the Jackals’ closer struck out three batters to notch his second save in as many chances this season.

Clark finished the contest 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Qualben (0-1) took the loss after yielding two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over five innings. Jackals’ reliever Mike Pontius bridged the gap from Wideman to Hicks by striking out the only batter he faced in the sixth.

In game two, Jackals starter Dan Griffin allowed just one run on two hits in 5 2/3 innings, but an RBI single by Pittsfield catcher Chris Torres in the bottom of the seventh inning carried the Colonials to a 2-1 win.

The Colonials plated the game’s first run in the second inning when right fielder Angel Molina led off with a double before scoring on a single to center by Baez. However, New Jersey evened the score at one in the fourth when Reyes, who led off with a single, scored on a two-out double by shortstop Mike DeJesus.

Neither starter factored in the decision in the nightcap as Pittsfield’s Chance Corgan surrendered one run in five innings. Colonials reliever Chris Rollins (1-0) retired all six batters he faced, three via strikeouts, to earn the win in relief. Isaac Pavlik (0-1) was on the hill in the seventh and took the loss.

The Jackals (2-5) return to Yogi Berra Stadium for Thursday night’s home opener, a 7:05 p.m. contest against the Brockton Rox. New Jersey will send right-hander Nick Asselin (0-1, 7.20 ERA) to the mound against Brockton righty Mike Smith (1-0, 3.38 ERA). Cody Chrusciel has the live call on the Jackals webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2010 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

White, a twelfth-year pro who was born in Pittsfield, returned to the mound after a one-year hiatus from baseball and held the Jackals to five hits while striking out two without yielding a walk. The former major leaguer picked up the win in the Colonials’ home opener.

New Jersey starter Chris Allen matched White pitch-for-pitch until the fourth inning, when Cabreja, the Colonials left fielder, lifted a two-run home run to right field following a two-out single by right fielder Angel Molina to put Pittsfield on top 2-0.

In the sixth, Colonials center fielder Daniel Carte tripled to center before the next batter, Edmondson, doubled him home to cap the scoring at 3-0. The RBI by the Colonials first baseman was his eighth in five games.

Allen (0-1) fanned four batters in 5 1/3 innings, but took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits with a pair of walks. Reliever Kyle Zaleski got the final four outs for Pittsfield to notch his first save of the season. Another former Jackal, left-hander Giuseppe Granitto, aided the Colonials’ effort by tossing an inning and a third of scoreless relief.

Third baseman Abraham Nunez was the only New Jersey batter to record multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a pair of infield singles. The Jackals, who were outhit 10-7, stranded 10 runners on base. They have now left 49 runners on base while dropping four of their first five contests to begin the 2010 season.

The Jackals (1-4) and Colonials (2-3) continue their three-game series on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. when New Jersey sends left-hander A.J. Wideman (0-1, 5.40 ERA) to the mound for his second start of the season against former Jackal Dave Qualben (0-0, 1.50 ERA). Cody Chrusciel has the live call on the Jackals’ webcast beginning 10 minutes prior to first pitch at www.jackals.com.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2010 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

In four games on the road against the Sussex Skyhawks, Riggans went 8-for-15 at the plate with two doubles, two home runs, and a league-high seven RBIs. His .533 batting average also tops the Can-Am League.

After going 0-for-4 in Friday night’s season-opener, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native collected eight hits in his next 11 at-bats. He launched a three-run home run in the first inning of Saturday’s contest at Skylands Park before connecting on a leadoff homer in the fifth inning on Sunday.

A former 24^th round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2000, Riggans has spent time in the major leagues each of the past four seasons with the Rays. In 64 contests at the big league level, Riggans sports a .202 average with seven home runs. He is in his 10^th professional season and his first with the Jackals after beginning 2010 in the New York Mets system at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Buffalo. At the minor league level, Riggans is a career .289 hitter.

The Jackals continue their seven-game, season-opening road trip this afternoon when they begin a three-game series against the Pittsfield Colonials at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield, Mass. First pitch on Memorial Day is slated for 3:05 p.m.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2010 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.

Sussex RHP Daniel Berlind went four innings, allowing two runs. RHP Justin Dignelli came in for the fifth and surrendered two runs to make it 4-1, one on a homerun by New Jersey DH Shawn Riggans. New Jersey’s starter, LHP Ryan Lobban, allowed just one run through five innings but was charged with two more in the sixth during an extra third of an inning of work. Nonetheless, he was still in line for the win after six.

In the seventh inning, however, Loadenthal homered off of RHP Mike Pontius to tie the game at four. It was an interesting day for him already at that point, having made an error in the top of the first on a fly ball to go along with his triple and solo shot. But in the ninth he cemented himself as the game’s hero, singling into the left-centerfield gap off of New Jersey RHP Edward Rodriguez to drive in the game-winning run.

Sunday was the first walk-off win of the season for the Skyhawks. They continue their seven-game homestand on Monday at CenturyLink Field at Skylands Park when the Brockton Rox visit Sussex County for the start of a three-game set. Veterans and active duty military receive free tickets to the game on Monday afternoon, which is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. RHP Freddy Flores of Brockton and RHP Tim Stringer of Sussex are the probable starters.

We’re constantly adding new events and promotions to our schedule, so visit our website at www.sussexskyhawks.com for updates. For more information about promotions listed above or to reserve tickets, contact the Skyhawks’ office at 973-300-1000.

RHP Mike McGuire started the game for the home team on his 24th birthday. He got off to a rocky start, surrendering a three-run homerun to DH Shawn Riggans of New Jersey in the first. Riggans, the Can-Am leader in RBI at game’s end with six, had another strong game at the plate, going 3 for 4 with those 3 RBI.

From there on, however, Sussex took over. McGuire settled down, and SS Joe Persichina hit a two-run homer in the second to draw the Skyhawks within one. By the bottom of the sixth, the home team was up 5-3. CF Carl Loadenthal poked a double down the left field line with the bases loaded in that half-inning for his first hit of the season, driving in two, and 1B Kris Sanchez followed up with a two-RBI single to make it 9-3 Sussex. The Jackals came back to score two runs off of RHP Kevin Gunter in the seventh and then had RHP Jared Yecker on the ropes in the ninth with the bases loaded and one out, but RHP Duaner Sanchez came in and retired the next two batters on four pitches to earn his second save of the series. Mike McGuire took home the win, and RHP Nick Asselin of New Jersey was tagged with the loss.

Sunday afternoon, the Skyhawks will look to earn their first series win of the season. New Jersey LHP Ryan Lobban and Sussex RHP Daniel Berlind are the probable starters. Senior citizens will receive a $2 discount off each ticket and can eat for free by presenting a coupon from the New Jersey Herald.

We’re constantly adding new events and promotions to our schedule, so visit our website at www.sussexskyhawks.com for updates. For more information about promotions listed above or to reserve tickets, contact the Skyhawks’ office at 973-300-1000.

Attendance on Opening Night was 1,370 as fans braved the rain to come out and see an exciting win at CenturyLink Field at Skylands Park. Tomorrow night, the first fireworks night of the year, should be equally entertaining. New Jersey RHP Dan Griffin and Sussex RHP Jusef Frias are the probable starters.

We’re constantly adding new events and promotions to our schedule, so visit our website at www.sussexskyhawks.com for updates. For more information about promotions listed above or to reserve tickets, contact the Skyhawks’ office at 973-300-1000.

Pavlik (5-1) allowed just one run on four hits in eight innings of work, striking out seven batters and walking just one. The left-hander now has 44 strikeouts this season, the highest total in the Can-Am League. Closer Rusty Tucker came on in the ninth inning to shut the door on New Hampshire and notch his twelfth save of the season.

The Defenders plated their only run of the contest in the bottom of the second inning. After a leadoff triple by designated hitter Jabe Bergeron New Hampshire left fielder Jerod Edmondson laced a single that scored Bergeron from third to make it a 1-0 game.

New Jersey would be kept in check by New Hampshire starter Lucas Ledbetter through the first five innings, stranding eight runners over that stretch. Ledbetter, making just his second start of the season, finally broke in the sixth inning when the Jackals tied the game. After catcher Matt Lauderdale led off with a walk, recent acquisition Justin Humphries ripped a double that placed runners at second and third with no outs. New Hampshire then went to the bullpen, bringing in right-hander Gabe Cuevas to face Mike Scanzano. The Jackals’ third baseman walked to load the bases for centerfielder Billy Kovatch, who grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Lauderdale from third and forced Scanzano out at second.

The Jackals would put their final three runs up on the board in the bottom of the seventh. With new relief pitcher Luis Ramos on the mound, leftfielder Ryan Rogowski drew a walk to start the frame for New Jersey. A sacrifice bunt by shortstop Mike DeJesus moved Rogowski to second before cleanup hitter Myron Leslie drew a walk of his own. Right fielder Quentin Davis then flew out to right field for the second out of the inning. Davis entered the game in the fifth inning to replace Juan Tejeda, who was ejected for arguing a called strike. The next batter, catcher Matt Lauderdale, ripped a single to load the bases and knock Ramos out of the contest. New Hampshire turned to reliever Adam Piechowski to silence the Jackals rally, but New Jersey wouldn’t be stopped. Humphries deposited a two-run single and moments later Scanzano laced a run-scoring single of his own to make it 4-1 Jackals.

In the ninth, Tucker would face just four batters, allowing a one out single to center fielder Edward Ovalle, before retiring the final two batters of the contest. Ramos (4-3) took the loss for New Hampshire as the go-ahead runs in the seventh inning were credited to him.

New Jersey concludes its four-game series with the Defenders tomorrow night as Stuart Pomeranz takes the mound for the Jackals against New Hampshire right-hander Nick Asselin. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. but tune in to the live broadcast starting at 6:50 p.m. at www.jackals.com. Cody Chrusciel and Joey Whelan will be on the call for the contest.

The New Jersey Jackals, proud members of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, play their home games at Yogi Berra Stadium located on the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ. 2009 season tickets, mini-plans and group outings are available by calling 973-746-7434. Visit the Jackals online at www.jackals.com.