New Jersey City University Athletics

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AUBURNDALE, FL…St. John Fisher College scored two unearned runs in the first inning and added six in the fourth inning for an 8-1 lead and although New Jersey City University scored six unanswered runs in the final four frames, could not rally as the Cardinals defeated the Gothic Knights, 10-7, Wednesday at the Russ Matt/Central Florida College Spring Break Invitational, played at Lake Myrtle Park Field #2. It was the opening game of two on the day for NJCU at the tournament.

NJCU fell to 5-3-1 with the loss and 4-2-1 on its spring trip while SJFC improved to 2-3. Each team collected 13 hits.

 

The loss spoiled a power show from freshman first baseman JOE STEINBERGER (San Diego, CA/San Diego), who blasted his first two career homeruns—both to left field—in the third and seventh innings. He went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs.

 

Freshman leftfielder ROB GONZALEZ (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial), sophomore third baseman MICHAEL FIORENTINO (Point Pleasant Beach, NJ/Point Pleasant Beach) and senior catcher KRISTOPHER BRUS (Parlin, NJ/Sayreville War Memorial) each went 2-for-4 and junior ALEX MENA (North Bergen, NJ/Hudson Catholic) was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a double in a pinch-hitting role before moving to left field.

 

Junior first baseman Jon Gibbs (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Sutherland) led Fisher with a 4-for-5 showing, three RBIs, two runs and a double while sophomore right fielder Phil Pettinella (Batavia, NY/Batavia) was 3-for-5 with two runs. The Cardinals also received a 2-for-4 effort with one RBI from sophomore catcher Leo Fusilli (Penfield, NY/McQuaid Jesuit) and junior shortstop Jason Nevada (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) scored twice with two steals.

 

In his first career start, freshman Jeremy Willard (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter) earned the win (1-0). In seven innings, he allowed four runs and nine hits while fanning six and walking two. Junior Andrew Van Slyke (Rome, NY/Vernon-Verona/Sherrill), the cousin of the former Pittsburgh Pirate, collected the save. Despite allowing two hits and a run in 1.1 innings, he struck out two and walked two after entering with the tying run on deck in the eighth.

 

In his first start since being named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week, junior right-hander STEPHEN MONTALBANO (North Brunswick, NJ/Bishop George Ahr) suffered his first loss. In 3.2 innings, he allowed six earned runs and eight hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

 

Sophomore shortstop TOM BURKE (Edison, NJ/Immaculata) committed two errors defensively in the first inning but made up for those mistakes as he was outstanding in relief. In his first appearance of the year on the mound, he tossed three-hit ball for 3.0 innings with three strikeouts and a walk.

 

Fisher took a 2-0 lead with two unearned runs in the opening inning. Fusilli had an infield RBI single. In the third, Steinberger made it a 2-1 deficit when he lifted the first pitch he saw in the game over the left center field fence.

 

But a six-run fourth inning turned the tables for the Cardinals. An RBI triple by freshman center fielder Matt Klock (Grand Island, NY/Grand Island), a bunt single and a three-run double by Gibbs made it 7-1, before he scored the eventual winning run on a single by freshman third baseman Teagen Barresi (Lansing, NY/Lansing). A two-run fifth inning made it 10-1 as two wild pitches put the margin at nine.

 

Steinberger made it a 10-3 deficit in the seventh when he launched a 1-0 pitch with one out deep over the left field wall. Burke left two runners on base in both the seventh and eighth innings and NJCU scored twice in the eighth on a pinch-hit double to left by Mena.

 

Gonzalez led off the top of the ninth with a single and scored on an RBI single by Mena with two outs to load the bases before a fielder's choice ended the game.