EAGLE LAKE, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University was limited to five hits and Aurora University plated three runs in the fifth inning in posting a 6-2 victory over the Gothic Knights on March 7 at Lake Region High School. The game was the 2015 season opener for NJCU after five previous postponements.
 
Senior first baseman Alex Weinstein (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) was the lone NJCU player with multiple hits—the 98th and 99th of his career—including a double. Freshman center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) stole twice.
 
Left fielder Eric Giordano (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin), a Second-Team All-NJAC choice as a rookie last year, had one hit to extend his hitting streak to 15 games but sophomore second baseman Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) was 0-for-4 with a run scored as his 18-game hitting streak carried over from 2014 was snapped.
 
Aurora improved to 7-2, collecting 11 hits in the win as three Spartans produced three hits apiece. Shortstop Tanner Oymaian was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and designated hitter Dillon Popovich finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs in the three-four spots in the lineup. Second baseman Adam Lipscomb was 3-for-3 with a run and RBI.
 
Tyler Findlay claimed his second win (2-0) for Aurora. He allowed one unearned run and three hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 7.0 innings before Brent Bergeson and Kyle Manske gave up a hit apiece in the final two frames.
 
Senior right-hander Kevin DeMauro (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) took the loss (0-1), allowing four earned runs and six hits in 5.0 innings with five walks and two strikeouts.
 
Four other pitchers threw an inning apiece in their Gothic Knight debuts. Senior righty Tom Colaiacovo, Jr. (Helmetta, NJ/Southern Regional), junior righty Jhon Garcia (Leonia, NJ/Liceo Carlos Soublette; Caracas, Venezuela) and sophomore righty Joe Juri (Emerson, NJ/Emerson) each threw a scoreless inning in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, allowing one hit each. Freshman righty Jason Szurlej (Linden, NJ/Linden) was charged with one unearned run in the ninth.
 
After NJCU left the bases loaded in the first, Aurora struck first in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Lipscomb. NJCU tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by rookie catcher Adam Feldman (Morristown, NJ/Morristown).
 
But the Spartans broke the tie in the fifth when Oymaian chalked up a go-ahead RBI single and after a throwing error put two runners in scoring position, Popovich extended the lead to 4-1 with a two-run single down the left field line. A sixth inning RBI double by Cale Sparks extended the lead to 5-1. Each team scored a single run in the ninth.
 
OF NOTE:

• Russ Matt College Spring Break Invitational. Game 1 of 2 of a split doubleheader.
• Alex Weinstein needs one hit to become the 38th member of NJCU's 100-hit club.
• Andrew Niech (91 hits and 24 doubles in 76 games) was 0-for-4.
• Michael Martucci (143 hits, ninth in school history) did not play.