AUBURNDALE, Fla. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University committed five errors and Suffolk University scored twice in the third and sixth innings to claim a 4-1 lead and knocked off the Gothic Knights, 7-2, in the third game of NJCU's spring baseball trip on March 8.
 
Suffolk, a year removed from going 26-14-1 and winning the 2014 ECAC New England championship, did not commit an error and improved to 2-1. NJCU fell to 0-3 overall.
 
The Knights have been charged with 13 errors in three games to open the season; its opponents have just three in that span.
 
Senior left-hander Delio Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) struck out nine batters in 6.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs and six hits but took the loss in his first start of the season (0-1). He walked four batters. NJCU used five pitchers in the loss.
 
In defeat, sophomore right fielder Eric Giordano (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) had three of NJCU's seven hits, batting 3-for-4 with a run and RBI to extend his on-base streak to 17 games. Senior first baseman Alex Weinstein (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) had two more hits (2-for-4) and junior designated hitter Andrew Niech (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) collected his 26th career double.
 
Frank Tierney notched the win (1-0) for the Rams, throwing 5.0 innings. He struck out five, walked one and allowed one run and two hits. Jake Flax had a four-inning save, striking out six without walking a batter, against one run and five hits.
 
Outfielder Seth Coiley was 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs and one RBI for the Rams. First baseman JC Collette walked and scored twice and center fielder Luke Ronchi had a pair of steals and crossed the plate twice. Shortstop Seth Cameron knocked in two runs.
 
A two-run, three-hit third put the Rams in front for good after a groundout by Coiley. NJCU cut the score in half (2-1) when Niech doubled and scored on a two-out single by Giordano in the fourth. But two errors in the sixth inning led to a pair of unearned runs and after an RBI grounder scored Giordano after consecutive hits in the seventh to make it a 4-2 game, Suffolk tacked on three insurance runs in the ninth, aided by two more errors.
 
OF NOTE:

• Russ Matt College Spring Break Invitational.
• Alex Weinstein is now 36th in school history with 102 hits. He passed Jim Roselli (1986-89) and Alfredo Monagas (1979-82) on the all-time list; both players had 101 hits.
• Michael Martucci did not have a hit. He has 144 hits in 113 games.
• Andrew Niech increased his career hits total to 95 in 78 games. His 26th double moved him within three of the career program record:

1.         29-Nick Cucinello (1990-93)
2t.        28-Eric Martinez (1996-98)
2t.        28-Phil Zaffarano (1994-97)
4t.        27-Rick Pizzuti (1997-99)
4t.        27-Paul Grasso (1993-93)
4t.        27-Tom Burke (2008-10)
4t.        27-Dave Long (1987-90)
8t.        26-Andrew Niech (2013-14)
8t.        26-Ruben Borges (2005-07)
8t.        26-B.J. Fearon (1994-96)
8t.        26-Mark Hoyer (2008-09)

• Delio Coutinho moved into eighth place in school history in career strikeouts with 120. The Top 10:
  • 1.         196       Jack Nagurka                1983,85-86
  • 2.         145       Nelson Maldonado        2009-12
  • 3.         144       Matt Baker                    1981-84
  • 4.         132       Anthony Principato        1986-89
  • 5.         129       Wendell Rodriguez        2010-13
  • 6.         125       Alberto Cajide               1974-75
  • 7.         121       B.J. Fearon                   1994-96
  • 8.         120       Delio Coutinho              2012-15
  • 9.         112       Rob Motacki                 2004-06
  • 10.        104       Scott Rhodes                1991-93

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Monday, March 9, NJCU faces Dickinson College at 10 a.m. in Auburndale, Fla. The Red Devils (1-3), members of the Centennial Conference, were 22-12-1 last year.