JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University baseball team (13-8) hit four home runs, highlighted by senior first baseman Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) who unleashed two, including a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the seventh as the Gothic Knights rallied past Drew University (13-8), 9-7, on April 11 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
NJCU trailed the non-conference game 5-2 after three innings and 7-3 heading to the fateful seventh. Seven of the nine runs scored came by the long ball led by Berardi who became the third Gothic Knight to drive in five RBIs in a game this season, batting 2-for-3 with two runs and a walk. Berardi and sophomore designated hitter Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) homered back-to-back in the second inning to give NJCU a 2-0 lead and sophomore right fielder Juan Pena (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) hit a solo shot in the fourth. Gomez extended his two-year on-base streak to 22 games.
 
Drew left 11 runners on base in the game and most in the early innings, because junior right-handed pitcher Anthony Carfora (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) entered the game in the seventh inning and was lights out. He improved to 4-0, tossing 33 pitches over 2.2 shutout innings, allowing just one hit with two strikeouts (one walk). He was the fourth and final Gothic Knight to throw.
 
Junior righty Kyle McCabe (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) also pitched well in relief of junior Nate Facey (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) who opened the game. McCabe threw 3.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits while fanning one.
 
Offensively, Drew outhit NJCU 13-9 but four of NJCU's nine hits went over the fence. Pena was 1-for-3 with two runs and his 18th steal of the season. Junior center fielder Jesse Kraft (Nutley, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford) was 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
 
For Drew, junior third baseman Eric DiPietro (Devon, Pa.) was 3-for-5 with one RBI. Sophomore catcher Brent Lincoln (Flemington, N.J.) and junior left fielder Jayson Mitch (Easton, Pa.) each were 2-for-4 with a run and RBI. Junior designated hitter Joseph Grossane (Merrick, N.Y.) batted 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
Junior lefty Davis Fouts (Coral Springs, Fla.), the fourth of five pitchers, suffered his first loss of the season (1-1), giving up five runs in the seventh in 0.2 innings of work, while facing seven batters.
 

KEY MOMENTS:

• NJCU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second when Berardi homered over the left center fence and Gomez drilled the very next pitch to center.
• Drew scored five times on five hits in the third to seize a 5-2 lead. DiPietro led off with a double and scored on a single by Mitch. After a walk, sophomore center fielder Max Felsenstein (Glen Rock, N.J.) doubled in a run to tie the game. A bunt single by senior right fielder Ryan Sabbag (Miami, Fla.) made it 3-2. A single by Grossane and a ground out by Lincoln added two more runs.
• NJCU got a run back with two outs in the fourth when Pena homered down the left field line.
• Leading, 5-3, the Rangers tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh. After back-to-back one-out singles, DiPietro doubled to left center (6-3) and a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Zach Lipshitz (Scotch Plains, N.J.) pushed the margin to 7-3.
• With one out in the seventh, Kraft and junior catcher Jan Castellano (Prospect Park, NJ/Paterson Eastside) singled and junior second baseman Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) walked to load the bases. Junior shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) drew a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch to draw within 7-4 before Berardi destroyed a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence to turn the deficit into an 8-7 lead.
• NJCU added insurance in the eighth. Pena was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, stole second, was sacrificed to third and scored on a single to center by Kraft.
• Carfora retired the side in order in the ninth to seal the win.

 
NOTABLES:

• Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) has an active 22-game on-base streak dating to the end of the 2017 season.
• NJCU's four homers are the most in a game since also hitting four against CCNY on April 6, 2015.
• Anthony Carfora (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) is the first NJCU pitcher to be 4-0 since Jose Ortiz (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) was also 4-0 last year.
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex)'s five RBIs are a career high. He previous had four RBIs four different times; as a freshman vs. Bowdoin (March 14, 2014), twice as a junior (April 8, 2017 at William Paterson and April 11, 2017 vs. FDU-Florham) and on March 27, 2018 vs. Baruch.
• NJCU's five RBI performances this season:
  • Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex), April 11 vs. Drew
  • Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen), April 5 vs. Rutgers-Newark
  • Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood), March 6 vs. Albion in Lakeland, Fla.
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) have each hit grand slams this season.
• Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) has an active 18-game on-base streak.
• Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) has an active 15-game on-base streak.
• Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen) has an active 15-game on-base streak.
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) has an active 12-game on-base streak.
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) moved into a tie for 16th place with 139 career hits, matching Ruben Borges (2005-07).
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) moved into third place in school history in career homers with 14, passing Rick Pizzuti on the list (13 homers, 1997-99).
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) moved into 11th place in school history with 84 RBIs, passing seven players in one game. He passed Jose Fulgencio (79, 2007-08), Rick Pizzuti (80, 1997-99), Paul Grasso (81, 1991-93), Eric Martinez (81, 1996-98), Michael Fiorentino (82, 2009-11), Ray Nazzaro (83, 1982-85) and Andrew Rivera (83, 2010-13).
• Dan Berardi (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) moved into eighth place in total bases in school history with 221, passing Sean Costello (217, 1984-87).

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU begins a two-day home-and-home series with Ramapo College, first meeting the Roadrunners tomorrow (April 12) at 3:30 p.m. in Mahwah, N.J. at Jeff Maund Memorial Field. Ramapo is 16-10 (2-4 NJAC). The schools will then meeting in Jersey City on Friday.

 
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