New Jersey City University Athletics

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RIVERDALE, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Trailing 7-4, New Jersey City University scored three times in the top of the eighth inning to tie it and after the College of Mount Saint Vincent regained a one-run differential, the Gothic Knights countered with three more tallies in the top of the ninth as NJCU overcame the Dolphins, 10-8, in a non-conference game on April 23 at Van Cortlandt Park.
 
NJCU (16-18) posts its 16^th win—its most since being victories 19 times in 2005. CMSV fell to 5-26. The Knights won despite committing six errors.
 
In the triumph, senior right-hander WENDELL RODRIGUEZ (Ponce, Puerto Rico/County Prep) came on in relief and threw the final 3.2 innings, allowing one run and four hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 74 pitches to improve to 5-4 on the season.
 
Rodriguez, who extended his own career school record for victories to 15 (previous mark was 12), also broke the single-season and career schools records for pickoffs with his seventh of the season and ninth of his career.
 
Senior left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison) notched three RBIs, batting 3-for-4 while upping his career hits total to 133. He has netted a team-high 17 multi-hit games this year. Senior center fielder MICHAEL PATTERSON (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) stole four bases—increasing his total to 23 on the year—scoring twice and walking two times with one RBI.
 
Senior third baseman PETE SENYSZYN (Carteret, NJ/Carteret) had two RBIs, two runs and walked twice in a 2-for-4 effort while sophomore right fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) batted 2-for-5.  Rookie catcher ANDREW NIECH (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) walked three times, had two steals and batted 1-for-3 with a run while sophomore shortstop MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) scored twice in a 1-for-4 day.
 
For CMSV, sophomore third baseman Steven Maio (Thornwood, NY)  was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and freshman second baseman Keith Schroeher (Riverhead, NY) drove in two RBIs in a 1-for-4, one-run day, while extending his hitting streak to 21 games. Freshman shortstop Joseph Senisi (Brooklyn, NY) scored twice.
 
Freshman righty John McQuade (Long Beach, NY) took the loss (0-2) as the fourth Mount pitcher. In 1.0 innings, he allowed three runs (two earned) on three walks and one hit. Junior righty Dan DiLascio (Yonkers, NY) started, allowing four runs (two earned) and seven hits in 7.0 innings with three walks and one strikeout.
 
Junior lefty ZACK MARKLE (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) made the start for NJCU, allowing two earned runs (three total) and two hits in 4.2 innings, but he walked six against one strikeout. Rookie righty NICK DEMARCO (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) threw two-thirds of an inning. He allowed four runs but none were earned with one strikeout and two hits.
 
NJCU struck in the top of the first as Niech reached on a fielder's choice following an error and scored on an RBI single up the middle.  Mount gained a 2-1 cushion with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second; freshman left fielder Keith Brodesser (Copiague, NY) drew a bases-loaded walk—the third in four at bats—and after a double steal by the Dolphins, Schroeher's sacrifice fly drove in a run. NJCU tied it in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by junior second baseman ROB ROMAN (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Joseph of the Palisades) following an error.
 
NJCU regained a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth as Martucci led off with a double and scored on a sac fly by Rivera. Mount tied it in the bottom of the inning on a two-out RBI single through the left side by Maio to score Senisi who singled with two outs and advanced to third on a balk and an error.
 
Mount gained a 7-3 lead with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff single followed by an error allowed the lead run to score and Schroeher tripled to right center, driving in another run for a 5-3 edge before scoring himself when his extra-base hit was misplayed in center. Rodriguez entered in relief but after NJCU committed its third error of the inning, an RBI single up the middle by Maio increased the deficit to 7-3. Rodriguez would end the lengthy, sloppy inning with a record-setting pickoff of junior designated hitter Jason Rivera (Bronx, NY) at first base.
 
NJCU got one run back in the seventh as Senyszyn and Niech had back-to-back bunt singles to the pitcher, Rivera singled to load the bases, and sophomore first baseman ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) reached on a fielder's choice that knocked in the fourth run. NJCU would strand two runners in the frame and 11 in the game.
 
CMSV would strand two runners in the bottom of the seventh and in the eighth, NJCU scored three times on two hits to tie the game at 7-7. After the first two batters were retired, Patterson walked and stole second, Martucci walked, and the tandem executed a double steal to place runners in scoring position. A two-run single to center by Senyszyn cut the lead to 7-6 and after Niech walked, Rivera stepped to the plate and came through again, singling up the middle to even the game at 1-1 as Senyszyn scored.
 
Mount regained a one-run lead in the top of the eighth. After a one-out hit batter, Jason Rivera would single to left field with two outs to score junior center fielder Josh Sharpe (Ronkonkoma, NY) for an 8-7 lead.
 
Needing three outs for the upset win, Mount was unable to reach that goal. McQuade entered at pitcher; Wagner singled to left, Roman walked, and the pair was pinch-run for by rookie JOMAR CASIANO (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) and sophomore KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny). Sophomore designated hitter DELIO COUTINHO (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Patterson worked out a five-pitch walk to tie the game. A sac fly to center on a 2-2 pitch by Martucci knocked in DeMauro and the eventual winning run for a 9-8 advantage. Then Patterson stole third and scored on a throwing error by the CMSV catcher for a 10-8 cushion.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, CSMV received a one-out pinch-hit single and Schroeher walked with two outs. Senisi, representing the tying run, flew out on a 3-2 pitch to center to end the game.
 
NJCU will play #19/21 ranked Ramapo College in the opening game of a two-day home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference series on Thursday, April 25 at 3:30 p.m. at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.