New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior right-hander KEVIN DEMAURO struck out eight in a complete-game five-hitter and sophomores JAMES GARDNER (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) and ANDREW NIECH (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) each knocked in two runs as New Jersey City University's pitching was dominant for the third consecutive game, guiding NJCU to a 6-2 non-conference win over Mount Saint Mary College (NY) in its 2014 home opener on March 25 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
NJCU (4-8) notched single runs in the first and third innings before tacking on four more in the fourth frame to stake itself to a 6-0 lead it wouldn't relinquish. The Blue Knights (4-6) dropped their third in a row.
 
NJCU entered the game with an 18-inning scoreless inning streak after back-to-back shutouts last week and the string extended to what is believed to be a school-record 22 consecutive scoreless innings before MSMC grabbed an unearned run in the fifth inning and added a single run in the ninth.
 
DeMauro claimed his first win of the season (1-2) to go with a pair of saves. In 9.0 innings over 104 pitches, he scattered five singles and fanned eight (four swinging, four looking) while walking just one batter and allowing one earned run. He also picked off a pair of runners.
 
Sophomore righty Sean Betterly took the loss for MSMC (1-2), allowing all six runs (four earned) and eight hits in 3.1 innings, walking three without a strikeout. Senior lefty Zach Kenny tossed 2.2 scoreless innings of relief, striking out two against three hits. Senior righty Angelo Biondo retired six of seven batters he faced in 2.0 innings, fanning one (one hit by pitch).
 
Gardner, who didn't start but came into the game at catcher in the top of the second inning, entered the day with just six career RBIs but enjoyed his finest effort as a Gothic Knight, batting 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored while Niech was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored. He posted his fifth multiple-hit and third multi-RBI effort of the season.
 
Freshman left fielder ERIC GIORDANO (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) continued to swing a hot stick, posting his third straight multiple-hit game and fifth of the season, batting 2-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman second baseman TAYLOR BORN (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) finished with multiple hits for the first time as a collegian, batting 2-for-3, and junior shortstop NICHOLAS D'ERRICO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Junior center fielder MATTHEW WAGNER (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) drove in a run and scored once.
 
A big win for DeMauro was shutting down the Skyline Conference's leading hitter Vinnie Carminati, who entered the game batting .552 with a .639 on-base percentage but was limited to a strikeout looking and two groundouts in his first three at bats before he finally singled in the ninth inning. First baseman Matt Cahill was the lone visiting player with multiple hits, batting 2-for-2 with an RBI.
 
NJCU struck in the first inning, as Niech had a two-out single through the right side and rookie first baseman DAN BERARDI (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) doubled down the left field line. Niech advanced to third and scored on a fielding error when the left fielder had trouble digging the ball out of the corner.
 
In the top of the third, a sacrifice after an infield single gave MSMC a runner on second with one out. With two outs, DeMauro picked the runner off second base and the inning ended with a rundown play.
 
In the bottom of the inning, D'Errico laid down a perfect bunt single and when the MSMC shortstop allowed a short pop up by Gardner to fall in front of second base—apparently hoping to have enough time for a double play—two runners were on for NJCU, and advanced on a sac bunt. A groundout to second base by Niech drove in D'Errico with the second run.
 
Nine batters came to the plate for the Gothic Knights in the fourth. Giordano led off with a single to left, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a ground ball by Wagner to shortstop for a 3-0 cushion. With two runners on, Gardner slipped a two-run single up the middle to make it 5-0 and Niech deposited a ground-rule double down the right field line that one-hopped the fence for a 6-0 margin.
 
In the top of the fifth inning, NJCU's scoreless streak was snapped.  Shortstop Steve Notaro reached on a leadoff error and when Cahill slipped a two-out single through the left side, the streak ended at 22. DeMauro picked Cahill off first base to end the frame. Leading 6-1 that was all the offense NJCU would need. DeMauro did not reach 100 pitches until the 32^nd batter of the game and MSMC's only other run came on a groundout in the top of the ninth.
 
NJCU returns to the diamond for non-conference action on Thursday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. when it faces Drew University (5-6) in Madison, NJ.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014 | Jersey City, NJ
Mount Saint Mary College (NY) (4-6)	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	2	5	3
New Jersey City University (4-8)	1	0	1	4	0	0	0	0	X	6	11	2
WP: KEVIN DEMAURO (1-2). LP: Sean Betterly (1-2).