JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In 2012, Jerry Smith made the leap from being a successful high school baseball coach to coaching in one of the top conferences in NCAA Division III. Smith has been a success and has done so while changing the culture of the New Jersey City University baseball program—all while recruiting quality student-athletes, many of whom have become record breakers on the diamond. On March 28, his 2018 version of the Gothic Knights rewarded him with a major career milestone—his 100th career victory.
 
NJCU (7-4) rallied from a 4-1 deficit with three runs in the sixth inning and two runs apiece in the seventh and eighth as the Gothic Knights upended Staten Island (5-6) by an 8-4 margin at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
Smith becomes just the third coach in the 71-year history of the program to win 100 games, joining Ken Heaton (255 wins, 18 seasons, 1990-2007) and Larry Babich (128 wins, 13 seasons, 1973-85) in the 100-win club. Of his three current assistant coaches, Nick Cesare and Raj Subramanian have coached alongside Smith in all 100 of those wins.
 
Junior shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) had the biggest blow—a no-doubt-about-it two-run shot to left center in the seventh that broke a 4-4 deadlock. LoGatto batted 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
 
Meanwhile, NJCU had just one hit through the first four innings but rallied to outhit the Dolphins, 13-12 on a day where both teams played error-free ball.
 
Senior right-handed relief pitcher Dan Foley (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East), in his second year with the program, earned his first win as a Gothic Knight in brilliant fashion—allowing just one hit in the final four innings of work. Overall, Foley, threw 5.0 innings of four-hit ball, allowing one run. He struck out three and walked none over 60 pitches as the third and final pitcher to throw for NJCU. Foley also picked off back-to-back base runners in the fifth inning with two on and one out to get out of the only jam he faced.
 
Also for NJCU, junior second baseman Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) and sophomore designated hitter Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) each drove in two runs. Sophomore left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro), sophomore right fielder Juan Pena (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) and junior Jan Castellano (Prospect Park, NJ/Paterson Eastside) each batted 2-for-4 with a run scored; Pena also knocked in an RBI. Junior righty Sean Gibney (Rutherford, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford) started for NJCU and allowed just one run in 3.0 innings, striking out two (two walks) against five hits.

 
Foley's pickoffs in the fifth came just when NJCU needed them. CSI collected three consecutive singles, scoring on the third hit—an RBI to center by sophomore second baseman Anthony Lozada (Staten Island, N.Y.). Foley, a member of the United States Army National Guard, was all that he could be, picking Lozada off first base, then a moment later, catching junior catcher Sean Becker (Harleysville, Pa.) off of second.
 
After just one hit in the first four innings, NJCU had two in the fifth but didn't score. That changed in the sixth when NJCU plated three runs on four hits to tie the game. LoGatto and Feehan singled back-to-back and senior first baseman Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) ripped a laser over the CSI third baseman and down the left field line for an RBI single. Pena grounded out to force in Feehan and with two outs, Gomez singled through the left side to even the game at 4-4.
 
With one out in the seventh, Castellano blooped a double to right field, beating the throw at second with an aggressive slide. With two outs, LoGatto stepped in and delivered—crushing a 3-2 pitch way over the left center fence to seize a 6-4 lead. It was his second homer of the season and sixth of his career.
 
NJCU added two more runs in the eighth to seal the win. Senior center fielder Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen) and Pena singled back-to-back, orchestrated a double steal and scored on a two-out single to center by Pulcine.
 
NJCU originally led 1-0 in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Gomez. CSI tied it at 1-1 in the third on an RBI single by Becker, who batted 3-for-4 with one RBI to pace the Dolphins. Staten Island moved ahead 3-1 in the fourth. Sophomore designated hitter John Pomarico (Staten Island, N.Y.) doubled and two hits later, an infield single by junior center fielder Jordan Wilson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) before a ground ball pushed in another tally.
 

Also for the Dolphins, sophomore shortstop Jett Nouvertne (Staten Island, N.Y.), junior third baseman Anthony DiMarco and senior left fielder Glenn Glennerster (Staten Island, N.Y.) each finished with two hits. Junior left-handed pitcher Terrance Mulligan took the loss (0-1), giving up four runs and five hits.
 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:

• Facebook Live postgame interview with Jerry Smith, Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex), Nick Cesare and Raj Subramanian: https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/10155792516894915/

 
NOTABLES:

• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) moved into sole possession of 21st place in school history with 124 career hits, passing NJCU Hall of Famer Joe Wells (1978-81, 123 hits) on the all-time list.

 
UP NEXT:
 

• Tomorrow (Thursday, March 29, 4 p.m.) NJCU heads to Old Westbury, N.Y. for non-conference action SUNY Old Westbury (7-6-1) at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex. Follow live stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/oldwestbury/baseball/

 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on NJCU baseball and #NJCUBB, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtag is GothicFamily and GothicGameDay.