HOBOKEN, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In the earliest baseball game ever played in the state of New Jersey in the 72-year history of the
New Jersey City University baseball program, the Gothic Knights held a 2-0 lead before Stevens Institute of Technology scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings and held on for a 3-2 non-conference victory at Dobbelaar Field on February 21.
The temperature at first pitch was 34 degrees with wind chills hovering in the mid 20s, and it wasn't just the temperatures that were cold. The two schools combined for just eight hits; five for the hosts Ducks (3-1) and three for NJCU (0-1). Stevens pitching struck out 16 of the 36 NJCU batters it faced.
The game marked the second earliest season opener in the history of the program; the Knights opened the 2013 season on February 15 of that year with a three-day trip to Virginia. This year's opener equaled the earliest ever game NJCU has played north of the Mason-Dixon line; it opened the 2009 season on February 21 of that season in a doubleheader at Farmingdale State.
The loss spoiled a magnificent debut for freshman right-handed pitcher
Justin Wiltsey (Little Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Hamilton West). He faced 18 batters in a no-decision effort, allowing one run against two hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Senior righty
Ian Ambrose (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) came on in relief in the sixth; he only allowed three hits against two runs, striking out two without a walk, but was charged with the loss (0-1). Sophomore closer
John Pudder (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) struck out one of the two batters he faced.
Sophomore left fielder
Leo Colon (Carteret, NJ/St. Anthony (Jersey City)), sophomore first baseman
Ricky Voss (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional) and freshman shortstop
Tyler Springett (Trenton, NJ/Hamilton West) each had hits for NJCU.
Senior righty
Michael Frissora (Fair Haven, N.J.) started and struck out nine against three walks in 6.0 innings for Stevens, allowing two unearned runs and two hits. Sophomore
Hunter Counton (Maryville, Ill.) fanned three of the five batters he faced in one inning of work, allowing one hit. Junior righty
Alex Smith (Wall, N.J.) earned the win (1-0) in relief, striking out four in 2.0 innings.
NJCU took advantage of three Stevens errors in the top of the fourth when it scored both of its runs on a dropped fly ball to first base. Stevens got an unearned back in the sixth when a throwing error allowed the Ducks first run to come home from third on a ground ball double play.
NJCU's best chance to add to its lead was the seventh when
Springett doubled to right with two outs for his first career hit but stranded there.
Stevens tied it at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh when sophomore center fielder
Ryan Finegan (Cumming, Ga.) homered over the short fence in right with one out.
In the top of the eighth, NJCU put two men on with walks by senior right fielder
Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) and junior second baseman
Brandon Rivera (Aberdeen, NJ/Matawan Regional) before a strikeout ended the threat. Then in bottom of the eighth, junior
Nate Zuckerman (Boca Raton, Fla.) pinch hit in a leadoff role, was hit by a pitch and scored the go-ahead run on a two-out single by sophomore designated hitter
Tom James (Murrieta, Calif.). NJCU was retired 1-2-3 in the ninth to end it.
NOTABLES:
- After last year's game with Stevens was postponed and eventually cancelled due to severe cold, the teams were meeting for the first time since 2018—another game decided by one run (5-4).
- The game was only the third contest played during the month of February in program history.
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