JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) had a two-run double in the seventh inning to draw the New Jersey City University baseball team within a run but the Gothic Knights could not take advantage of men on in the final three innings and fell to Montclair State University, 3-2, in the backend of a two-day New Jersey Athletic Conference home-and-home series on April 22 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
Montclair State (16-15, 7-5 NJAC) went ahead 1-0 on a leadoff solo home run in the second inning by junior center fielder Philip Scott (Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro), then added two runs in the top of the seventh aided by a walk and an error. The Knights fell three games under .500 with the loss (14-17, 0-12 NJAC) and have now lost 11 of their last 12 games.
 
NJCU turned three double plays in a game for the second time this season but committed three errors. NJCU outhit the Red Hawks, 10-7 but left seven men on.
 
In defeat, senior catcher Andrew Niech (Avenel, N.J./Colonia) had an eighth-inning single and moved into sole possession of second place in program history with 197 career hits. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Anthony Keri (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) tied the single-season program record for pitching appearances with his 22nd in 31 games.
 
In a well-pitched game for both side, MSU senior left-handed pitcher Michael Macchia (Middletown, N.J./Middletown North) earned the win (5-2), throwing 7.0 innings. In that span he allowed two runs and nine hits with one strikeout (no walks) over 85 pitches. Sophomore righty Taylor Parson (Livingston, N.J./Livingston) earned a six-out save—his third of the year—allowing one hit in 2.0 innings, striking out one.  
 
Coutinho was 3-for-4 with two RBIs but his only out of the game was a fly out to right to end the game with the tying run on first base. Sophomore first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. MSU leadoff hitter and junior right fielder Ryan Long (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) was the lone Red Hawk with multiple hits, batting 2-for-5 with one RBI.
 
Freshman righty Anthony Carfora (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) pitched well enough to win but suffered the loss (1-3) in his second collegiate start. In 6.0 innings, he allowed just two earned runs and five hits, striking out two (four walks) over 103 pitches.
 
Keri came on in relief in the seventh and retired all three batters he faced over six pitches. Sophomore lefty Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, N.J./Saint Joseph-Metuchen) needed just 19 pitches to record the final six outs in relief, allowing two hits with one walk in two innings.
 

Key Moments
After NJCU could not capitalize on a one-out double and left two on in the first, Scott led off the second with a solo homer to right for MSU. After an error, single and walk loaded the bases with two outs, Carfora got a ground ball to second to strand the bases full.
 
In the third, junior designated hitter Matt Long (Washington Township, N.J./Washington Township) doubled to left center but was thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple on a relay from sophomore center fielder Dmitri Rueger (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) to junior second baseman Taylor Born (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) to freshman third baseman Ray Liguori (Beachwood, N.J./Toms River South) for the tag. MSU, which left eight in the game, stranded two in the inning.
 
After both starting pitchers threw well during the middle innings, Montclair got two key runs in the seventh. Junior catcher Aaron Kane (Manchester, N.J./Manchester Township) led off with a walk and freshman shortstop Kevin Campbell (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) reached on an error on a sac bunt. Ryan Long doubled deep to left to make it a 2-0 lead and on a groundout to second by sophomore second baseman Joe Foote (Wallington, N.J./St. Joseph's (Montvale)) that should have ended the inning had the error not occurred, Campbell came home for a 3-0 margin.
 
NJCU rallied in the seventh. Berardi led off with a single, Liguori notched his second hit of the season and after a fielder's choice put runners on the corners, Coutinho came through with his third hit of the game, a double to deep right center to score two runs, including freshman pinch runner Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) from first.
 
Rueger had an infield single to short that Campbell dove to keep in the infield. That defensive play was key as it prevented the tying run from scoring and junior shortstop Zach Buchholz (Colonia, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) flew out to right with the tying run on third.
 
Ramirez, the NJCU ace, came on in relief in the eighth. After a one out walk, MSU hit a high chopper back to the mound. The ball caromed right off of Ramirez's glove to Buchholz who finished off an unusual 1-6-3 double play to keep it a one-run game.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Niech singled through the left side—the 197th of his career—but Berardi grounded into a double play to end the threat.
 
In the ninth, Kane and Ryan Long singled, sandwiched around a sac bunt, before Matt Long grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.
 
With MSU up by one, Parsons came out looking for his third save. Freshman Corey Nase (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South), making his first start at designated hitter, grounded to the left side. Miscommunication between the third baseman and shortstop led to a one-hopped throw and a leadoff error. But Parsons got a strike out on a sacrifice attempt and two fly balls to end the game and preserve the one-run decision.
 
OF NOTE:

• Andrew Niech now has 197 hits in 143 career games to surpass previous all-time hits leader Rob Sumner (2005-08) with 196 hits. He needs three to pass new all-time leader Michael Martucci (2012-15) who set the record last year with 199 hits. Niech has scored 105 runs with 96 RBIs.
• Junior left fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) is now 38th in school history with 103 hits in 93 games.
• With his 22nd appearance, Anthony Keri tied the NJCU single-season record of 22 by Steve Hallam in 2009 and equaled by Pedro Garcia in 2013 and by Mark Petrucelli in 2014. He currently ranks in the Top 10 in Division III in appearances this season.

 
#NextKnightTime:
NJCU will play its final road doubleheader of the season on Saturday, April 23 at 11:30 a.m. when it heads to Camden, NJ for an NJAC doubleheader against Rutgers University-Camden.