New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score HOBOKEN, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University rallied from a 5-2 deficit with three runs in the top of the eighth, only to give it back to Stevens Institute of Technology on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning and strand the tying run in scoring position in the ninth as Stevens edged NJCU, 6-5, in a wild non-conference game under the lights at Dobbelaar Field on April 21.
 
In what has been a competitive cross-Hudson County rivalry, Stevens won by just one run for the third consecutive meeting and the fourth time in the last five. NJCU (9-20) dropped its eighth straight with six of the defeats coming by two runs or less and eight of its last 10 losses by three or fewer runs. Stevens upped its mark to 14-10.
 
NJCU, playing its first night game of the season,  fell to 2-5 in one-run games this season, 4-10 in games decided by two or less runs and 0-18 when tied or trailing after eight innings.
 
Freshman second baseman

(Colonia, NJ/Colonia) to sophomore catcher JAMES GARDNER (Hoboken, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep).

NJCU regained a 2-1 lead in the third when junior shortstop NICHOLAS D'ERRICO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) was hit by a pitch, advanced on a Weinstein single and scored on a sacrifice squeeze bunt by Born.
 
The Ducks moved ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth when Mannello hit a two-run homer to right and added another run in the fifth on a line-drive solo homer by Hennelly to right-center. The Ducks increased the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Allen before Petrucelli entered in relief and after a double steal and intentional walk, stranded the bases loaded with a ground out.

The Knights rallied in the top of the eighth, scoring three times to take advantage of two Stevens' errors. Born reached on a one-out error before scoring on a ground ball by Martucci that resulted in the second error of the frame and extended the inning. A pinch-hit single by freshman ERIC GIORDANO (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) put two men on and Ruscingno had the biggest hit of his young career, singling through the right side for a two-run, game-tying hit before the Knights stranded two.

Stevens went back up, 6-5, in the bottom half of the eighth on a wild pitch that scored Jonathan Toro, who manufactured the Ducks' run with an infield base hit, steal of second and a tag up to third on a deep fly ball. Martucci, who entered in relief with the man at third and one out, struck out the final two batters of the inning.
 
For the second straight game after giving up the lead in the eighth, NJCU squandered a legitimate scoring opportunity in the ninth. D'Errico singled to right and Weinstein dropped down a bunt single to push the tying run to second base. But Poinsett struck out the next two batters looking and coaxed a ground ball resulting in a game-ending force at second base.

NJCU plays the second of a stretch of eight games in seven days on Tuesday, April 22 at 4 p.m. when it faces Gwynedd-Mercy College in non-conference action in Gwynedd Valley, PA.