New Jersey City University Athletics

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BRONX, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University led 5-3 before Baruch College scored three times without recording an out in the bottom of the ninth inning, and won the game on a walk-off single against the Gothic Knight's ace pitcher in relief, as the Bearcats stole a 6-5 non-conference  game from NJCU on April 16 at Bronx Community College.
 
The loss may prove to be detrimental to NJCU's hopes of qualifying for the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Metro Tournament as the Knights fall below .500 at 14-15—the first time NJCU has been below .500 since March 2 when it was 3-4. NJCU needs to reach the 20-win plateau to have a chance at a post-season bid. Baruch (14-10) won for the third time in four outings.
 
Sophomore right-hander KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) started the ninth and allowed a single back to the pitcher by junior designated hitter Eric Feit (Plainview, NY) before senior ace righty WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep), who three days earlier threw a complete-game in a 5-1 upset of nationally No. 1 ranked Kean University, was called upon for his second relief appearance of the season. Unlike in most of his starting roles, it did not go well for the winningest pitcher in program history.
 
Baruch junior center fielder Daniel Arango (Jamaica, NY) walked and freshman catcher Jasdeep Buttar (Edison, NJ/John P. Stevens) tied the game with a two-RBI double to center to knock in Feit and Arango. Buttar moved to third on a wild pitch and scored the winning run when sophomore shortstop Nicholas Pomo-Roman (North Bellmore, NY) singled to left field.
 
NJCU trailed 3-0 through five innings before scoring twice in the sixth and three times in the seventh to claim a 5-3 advantage. Baruch committed five errors in the game and four of the five Gothic Knight runs were unearned.
 
NJCU finished with eight hits, led by rookie catcher ANDREW NIECH (Avenel, NJ/Colonia), who was 3-for-4 with one run. Senior MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) made his ninth start of the year at shortstop after 18 games at third base and slid to the top of the lineup, where he hit 2-for-5 with an RBI in a leadoff role.
 
Senior PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret), NJCU's primary second baseman, made his second start this year at third, and scored twice. Sophomore DELIO COUTINHO (Colonia, NJ/Colonia), making his fifth start at first base, was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Buttar was the biggest factor for Baruch, batting 4-for-5 with two RBIs, and two runs while Feit was 2-for-2 with one run in a reserve role. Sophomore first baseman Eric Ulino (Long Island City, NY) was 3-for-4 with a run and RBI. Pomo-Roman tallied two RBIs.
 
Sophomore righty Paul Perez (Middle Village, NY) earned this fifth win of the season in relief (5-2), throwing 3.0 shutout innings of two-hit baseball, striking out two batters. Junior righty Andrew Lizardi (Pleasantville, NY) made the start for Baruch, allowing five runs (one earned) and six hits with seven strikeouts and two walks over six innings, before receiving a no-decision.
 
Junior lefty ZACK MARKLE (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) tossed 5.1 innings in a starting role, allowing just two earned runs (three total) and nine hits with three K's and two walks. DeMauro threw 2.2 innings of relief over the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings and stood to win had NJCU held onto the lead. He allowed one run against three hits with two strikeouts. Rodriguez (4-3) suffered the loss, allowing two runs and two hits with one walk without recording an out in a blown save.
 
After a well-pitched game through three innings, Baruch struck first in the fourth, scoring twice on four hits. With two outs and none on, junior Philip Loprete (Bellerose, NY) singled and scored all the way from first base on a single to center by Ulino. Another single and a walk loaded the bases before Arango singled to third base to knock in a run. Markle got out of the frame by picking off a runner at second base.
 
Baruch added another run in the bottom of the fifth when Buttar singled, advanced two bases on an outfield error, and scored an unearned run on a groundout by Pomo-Roman.
 
NJCU scored twice in the top of the sixth as Senyszyn walked and Niech doubled to put two men in scoring position. Lizardi retired the next two batters before an infield error allowed both Senyszyn and Niech to score to make it a 3-2 game.
 
The Knights claimed a 5-3 lead in the seventh. A leadoff walk and an error gave NJCU runners at the corners. An RBI single by Martucci tied the game. Senyszyn reached on a throwing error—the second of the inning—that forced in the go-ahead run and when Coutinho reached on a run-producing fielder's choice, NJCU led 5-3 as Senyszyn scored.
 
NJCU plays the front end of a home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference series on Thursday, April 18 at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts Rowan University at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. Game two of the series is Friday in Glassboro, NJ.