JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University baseball team trailed 7-4 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie it, and junior first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex)'s walkoff single scored senior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex) after he led off the 10th inning with a double in an 8-7 non-conference comeback victory over SUNY Old Westbury on April 18 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
For Berardi, the New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week, it was his second winning hit in the 10th inning in eight days, after he also had a two-run homer to beat Staten Island on April 10 in extra innings.
 
After Reinecke led off the 10th with a double down the right field line, Old Westbury elected to intentionally walk NJCU's talented No. 3 hitter, senior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (Colonia, N.J./Colonia), to pitch to Berardi, the clean-up hitter, and he made the Panthers pay for that decision, drilling an 0-1 changeup through the left side to plate Reinecke with the winner.
 
NJCU improved to 11-14 with the victory while sending the Panthers to 15-13 overall. OW lost despite outhitting NJCU, 15-12.
 
The Gothic Knights trailed 2-0 before scoring three in the bottom of the fourth and led 4-2. OW tied it with two in the sixth, went ahead 5-4 in the seventh, and appeared to cement the win with two insurance runs in the visitor's ninth.
 
NJCU capitalized on two OW errors in the ninth as Reinecke and Berardi singled, freshman designated hitter Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) (Edison, N.J./Edison) doubled in a run, and a pair of runs came home on throwing errors, including a potential force play at the plate.

Berardi, who had hits in his final two at bats, and now is five away from the 100-hit club in less than two full seasons, was 3-for-6 with two runs and one RBI while Coutinho batted 2-for-5 with two runs. Reinecke, who came on for defensive purposes in the top of the seventh, finished 2-for-2 with the winning run.

Also for NJCU, freshman left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) had two RBIs and walked twice and senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) was 1-for-3 with two walks.
 
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Jose Ortiz (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy), the sixth pitcher to throw for NJCU, won in relief, improving to 2-0. In 3.1 innings, he allowed just two runs (seven hits) with a strikeout and a walk, and kept OW off the board in the 10th.
 
Junior left-handed pitcher Tyler Folger (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) started and went the first 3.0 shutout innings, striking out two against three hits. Senior righty Joe Stone (Metuchen, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Piscataway, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) also tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
 
For OW, sophomore designated hitter Gianni Carbone (Ronkonkoma, N.Y.) was 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs senior third baseman Louis Sileno (Dix Hills, N.Y.) had three RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing. Senior left fielder Kevin Lao (Floral Park, N.Y.) was 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
 
Also contributing for OW were junior first baseman Dean Sheridan (Huntington, N.Y.) and junior right fielder Liam Slattery (Floral Park, N.Y.) with two hits apiece. Senior shortstop Tommy Ziegen (Glen Cove, N.Y.) scored twice.

Freshman righty Jason Espinal (Bellport, N.Y.), the sixth pitcher for OW, lost for the first time as a collegian, dropping to 4-1. He started the 10th and never got an out. Senior righty Daniel Aguilo (Elmont, N.Y.) struck out three and allowed just two hits in 2.0 scoreless innings to start the game. Sophomore righty Vinny Negri (Commack, N.Y.) held NJCU without a hit in two scoreless innings.


More to come.