Box Score GEORGETOWN, Texas (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University's baseball team trailed 9-2 after six innings before plating five runs in the top of the seventh to get back in the game, down 9-7. But Southwestern University got all of the runs back in the bottom of the inning (14-7) and went on to defeat the Gothic Knights, 17-7, on the final day of the 2020 NJCU Texas spring trip at the Rockwell Family Baseball Field on March 11. It was the first-ever meeting between the schools.
 
Southwestern, the third member of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) NJCU faced on the trip, along with Texas Lutheran and Trinity, improved to 7-6 with the win. The Gothic Knights fall to 1-9 overall against challenging competition and 1-5 on their Texas road trip.
 
NJCU had five hits with freshman third baseman Jimmy Vizzoni (Hamilton, NJ/Trenton Catholic) leading the Knights, batting 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored. Freshman shortstop Tyler Springett (Trenton, NJ/Hamilton West) scored twice. Senior catcher/center fielder Juan Pena (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) walked three times, forcing in one run.  Freshman third/second baseman Michael Marrero (South Plainfield, NJ/South Plainfield) walked twice, forcing in one run. NJCU used five pitchers in the loss.
 
The Pirates produced 15 hits, led by senior outfielder Byron Dowdell II (Sugar Land, Texas), who hit two home runs and drove in four runs, batting 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
 
Freshman shortstop Jacob Tanner (Houston, Texas) came off the bench to drive in three runs and score twice in two plate appearances. Junior second baseman Seth Sparks (Cedar Park, Texas) had three RBIs, batting 3-for-5 (1 run). Junior center fielder Hayden Craig (Cedar Park, Texas) scored three times, batting 2-for-4 with two walks and one RBI. Freshman designated hitter Lance Kruse (La Vernia, Texas) scored twice and drove in two 
 

Southwestern used five pitchers in a predetermined rotation with the starter, freshman Tyler Wilson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) earning the win despite tossing just 2.0 innings. He allowed one hit, striking out and walking two. Junior Ruben Garcia (San Marino, Calif.) threw the final 2.2 innings to get the save, allowing one hit and one strikeout.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• SU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, led by an RBI double from Sparks, followed by an error and a sac fly. Each team added single runs in the third.
• The Pirates pushed the lead to 7-1 after four, scoring three in the bottom of the fourth. Dowdell led off with a solo homer and Craig doubled in a run. 
• NJCU got a run back in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Marrero to force in Vizzoni, who led off with a double. Dowdell slammed a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to extend the lead to 9-2.
• The Gothic Knights battled back in the top of the seventh, scoring five runs on just two hits, taking advantage of five walks in the inning, including four in a row.  Junior second baseman/right fielder Brandon Rivera (Aberdeen, NJ/Matawan Regional) walked to load the bases and Pena followed with a base on balls to force in a run. With one out, sophomore left fielder/catcher Leo Colon (Carteret, NJ/St. Anthony (Jersey City)) walked to push in another run. An RBI single by sophomore center fielder Miguel Valentin (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) made it 9-5. Garcia came on in relief and gave up a bases-loaded ground out to junior Dan McLaughlin (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) who was making an emergency start at first base due to injuries.  Vizzoni followed with a two-out single to cut the deficit to 9-7. But it was the only hit Garcia would allow and he picked off a runner at first to end the threat, NJCU would not pose an offensive challenge the rest of the way.
• The Pirates got the five runs back in the bottom of the seventh, with a three-run double by Tanner doing the most damage. Leading 14-7, SU scored three more runs in the eighth to cap the win; Sparks punctuated the inning with a two-RBI single.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU returns to New Jersey to begin the next phase of its schedule. The next scheduled game is Tuesday, March 17 at 4 p.m. against Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa.
 
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. We Are Jersey City's Team.