NEWARK, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University trailed Rutgers-Newark 6-1 after five innings and 7-5 through seven before the Gothic Knights scored four times in the eighth inning and added two more in the ninth to pull in front 11-7. That set up drama in the bottom of the ninth after the Scarlet Raiders scored two unearned runs and with two outs had the tying runs in scoring position. But NJCU called upon its ace, senior left-hander Delio Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia), who entered the game for a three-pitch strikeout save as the Gothic Knights won for the third consecutive day, 11-9, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action on April 2 at Riverfront Stadium.
 
NJCU (6-7, 1-2 NJAC) wins its third straight game in an early season comprised of a plethora of postponements and streaks of three losses followed by three wins and then four losses, leading up to the current three-game surge. After the first game of the two-day NJAC home-and-home series, the Scarlet Raiders fell to 7-11 (0-3 NJAC). The game lasted 3:47. NJCU outhit the Raiders, 16-8; each squad stranded 12 runners on base. NJCU used nine pitchers in the game.
 
NJCU has scored in double figures in all six wins this season—a combined 84 runs in its victories. Meanwhile the Gothic Knights totaled only 23 runs in their seven losses.
 
Sophomore right fielder Eric Giordano (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) had a key two-run single as part of the eighth-inning rally and finished the game with three RBIs (1-for-5, walk, run). In doing so, he extended his two-year on-base streak to 27 consecutive games and his hitting streak to 11 straight, while hitting safely for the 12th time in 13 games this season.
 

Junior catcher Andrew Niech (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) was 4-for-5 with three runs (walk, RBI) and senior third baseman Michael Martucci (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) continued to climb the all-time hits list with three more (3-for-4, 2 walks, 1 RBI, 1 run), giving him 164 hits in 123 games while pushing his hit streak to 10 games.
 
Also for NJCU, freshman left fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) was 2-for-5 with a double, senior first baseman Alex Weinstein (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) added two more hits (2-for-5, one run, one RBI) and sophomore Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) knocked in two RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing (one run). Sophomore shortstop Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) scored twice.
 
Senior right-hander Kevin DeMauro (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) started, giving him 50 career pitching appearances, to move into a share of second place in school history—two behind the all-time standard. In 3.2 innings he struck out five, walked seven and gave up five runs. DeMauro surpassed 100 career strikeouts in the win, becoming the 12th Gothic Knight to reach that milestone.
 
Freshman righty Anthony Keri (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex)—the sixth of nine pitchers used—earned his second win (2-2), allowing two unearned runs and just one hit with a strikeout in 2.1 innings of relief. Coutinho's 128th career strikeout earned him his third career save.
 
Also for NJCU in relief, sophomore Mario Albunia (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) made his second career pitching performance in as many days, facing just four batters in the sixth inning. Freshman Sean Gibney (Rutherford, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford), who made his career pitching debut on Wednesday, threw for the third straight day, facing two batters. In 2.0 innings of work, all six outs he has registered have come via strikeout.
 
The Raiders' top offensive player was left fielder Josh Cote who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, two runs and a homerun. Shortstop/pitcher Ryan MacFarlane went 2-for-4 with two runs and a double. First baseman Chas Bohannon knocked in two runs.
 
Jonathan Dominguez started for RUN, going 6.0 innings. In a no-decision, he struck out six, walked three and allowed two earned runs and six hits. JR Hilcher, the fourth of five RUN pitchers, took the loss (1-1). He faced two batters, did not record an out (hit, walk) and both players scored.
 
NJCU scored in the first when Rueger led off with a double and scored on a Giordano groundout. RUN scored three times in the home first as the Raiders made NJCU pay for three walks with a two-out bases loaded walk and a two-run single by Bohannon. After a quiet second and third, the Raiders added two runs in the fourth on a two-run homer to left by Cote and after MacFarlane doubled in the fifth, he scored on an error.
 

NJCU drew closer with three in the sixth. Giordano walked, Weinstein singled and Joe Coutinho singled home a run. A groundout pushed two runners into scoring position and when the Raiders committed a two-out error, Weinstein and Joe Coutinho scored. After each team scored single runs in the seventh—an RBI single by Weinstein and an RBI single by Cote for RUN—NJCU produced four runs in the eighth to seize the lead.
 
Buchholz led off with a walk, Rueger singled and Niech cut the deficit to 7-6 with an RBI single. A walk to Martucci loaded the bases and Giordano came through, singling to center to drive home Rueger and Niech with the go-ahead runs. Joe Coutinho followed with an RBI single for a 9-7 edge before RUN got out of the inning with a double play. In the ninth, Buchholz and Niech singled and Martucci boosted the lead to 10-7 with an RBI single with what proved to be the winning run. Niech later scored on a two-out error.
 
NJCU notched two quick outs to start the bottom of the ninth before the next batter was hit by a pitch. Cote singled and back-to-back errors at short allowed two unearned runs to score while Billy Taylor and Gerry Patrizio, who reached on the errors, stole second and third to push the tying runs into scoring position. Up came catcher Justin Marks and in came Delio Coutinho, striking out the Raider looking on three pitches to ice it.
 
OF NOTE:

• With 164 hits in 123 games, Michael Martucci is in fourth place in school history in hits. Next up is Phil Zaffarano (1994-97) with 167 hits.
• Alex Weinstein hit safely for the 10th time in 13 games this year. He moved into a share of 23rd place in school history with 118 hits, matching Anthony Caivano (2002-05) and passing Steve Stiller (2001-04).
• Andrew Niech's four hits give him 116 in 88 games for 26th place. He passed Justin Pelka (1996-99, 114 hits) and Pat Moore (2002-04, 112 hits) on the all-time list. Niech reached base for the 13th consecutive game this season and has reached base 17 straight times dating to last season (tying his career high of 17 also achieved last year as sophomore).
• Eric Giordano has now hit safely in 40 of 49 career games.
• Kevin DeMauro is now tied for second in school history in pitching appearances. The all-time leaders:

1.	52, Wendell Rodriguez (2010-13)
2.	50, Kevin DeMauro (2012-15)
	50, Pedro Garcia (2010-13)
	50, George Jessen (2005-08)

• The most strikeouts in NJCU history:

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.	128, Delio Coutinho (2012-15)
7.	125, Alberto Cajide (1974-75)
8.	121, B.J. Fearon (1994-96)
9.	112, Rob Motacki (2004-06)
10.	104, Scott Rhodes (1991-93)
11.	103, Andy Ortiz (1982)
12.	101, Kevin DeMauro (2012-15)

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Friday, April 3 the clubs will meet again in the second game of the home-and-home series. Due to impending rain, the game has been moved from NJCU's Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, a natural grass facility, to Jersey City's artificial turf Caven Point Athletic Complex, located at 1 Chapel Avenue.