JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior left-handed pitcher Anthony Zicaro (Linden, NJ/Linden) fired a career-high eight strikeouts and did not allow an earned run over 8.2 innings as the New Jersey City University baseball team upended FDU-Florham, 4-1, in a non-conference game on April 9 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
NJCU scored single runs in the first, third, fourth and seventh inning and four of its seven hits went for extra bases. The Gothic Knights improved to 12-8 on the season. FDU-Florham dropped to 10-16. The Gothic Knights are 6-2 against FDU in head coach Jerry Smith's eight seasons as head coach. The game was the first of six games in a five-day stretch for NJCU.
 
Zicaro improved to 2-0, striking out eight and walking three while allowing one unearned run in the sixth inning and only six hits. Freshman closer John Pudder (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) recorded the final out in the ninth inning with the tying run at the plate to record his fourth save.
 
Senior second baseman Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) batted 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two doubles and a run scored and freshman first baseman Ricky Voss (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional) was 1-for-2 with a triple, run scored and two walks. Senior shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) tripled and drove in a run.
 
Junior righty Arjun Alwis (Montgomery, N.J.) made his first career start for FDU, falling to 0-2 on the season. In 5.0 innings, he allowed three runs and five hits with two K's and a walk.
 
In the first inning, Pulcine was hit by a pitch to lead off and scored on a triple to right center by LoGatto. In the third, freshman catcher Anthony Palmisano (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a double down the right field line by Pulcine as the lead doubled to 2-0.
 
NJCU made it 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Voss led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior center fielder Jesse Kraft (Nutley, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford).
 
FDU drew within 3-1 in the sixth. After a one-out dropped fly ball in right, sophomore first baseman AJ Yurista (Ringwood, N.J.) singled through the left side with two outs.
 
NJCU got the run back in the seventh. Sophomore Dan McLaughlin (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) led off with a single, stole second, advanced on a sac bunt by Palmisano and scored on a sacrifice fly by Pulcine.
 
FDU stranded two runners on base in the eighth and ninth innings.  Pudder came on in relief with runners on first and second and got a game-ending groundout to short.
 
OF NOTE:

• The game was originally scheduled as a 3:30 p.m. start but moved to 3 p.m. due to rain in the forecast. It began raining lightly in the ninth inning and the skies opened up 30 minutes after the conclusion of the game.
• The win is the 126th of head coach Jerry Smith's eight-year career. He is two wins shy of matching late Hall-of-Famer coach Larry Babich for second place on NJCU's all-time wins list. Babich, who died on November 16, 2018, won 128 games from 1973-85.
• Anthony Zicaro's eight strikeouts was one more than his previous highs of seven against Rutgers-Newark (April 5, 2018) and Old Westbury (March 28, 2019).
• Zicaro was just an out away from a complete game. It's the third time in his career he has thrown 8.1 innings or more. He went 8.1 innings twice as a junior—March 29, 2018 vs. Old Westbury and 8.2 innings vs. Rutgers-Newark on April 5, 2018. He threw 126 pitches.
• With 113 career hits, Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) is now 31st in school history, passing Pat Moore (2002-04, 112 hits) on the all-time list.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU heads to Madison, N.J. for a makeup game with Drew University (15-10) on Wednesday, April 10 at 3:30 p.m. Watch live or follow live stats.
 
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