GALLOWAY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball squad made its first appearance in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament since 1995 this afternoon, Tuesday, May 4, as the ninth-seeded Gothic Knights went head-to-head with eighth-seeded Stockton University in a single elimination First Round matchup with a berth in the quarterfinal series on the line. On the largest stage of his career, sophomore right-hander Justin Wiltsey (Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Hamilton West) tossed a solid game, going 7.2 innings and striking out a career-best six batters without allowing an earned run. Unfortunately, he did get tagged for a pair of unearned runs — the only scores of the game — in the bottom of the eighth as NJCU fell to the Ospreys 2-0.

The Gothic Knights (5-25) started off the day quickly, notching back-to-back singles in the top of the first against Stockton (10-13). Unfortunately a double-play and a fly-out ended the rally before it could produce. Up until the the top of the sixth inning, neither squad was able to muster much offensively, as each team was limited to two hits apiece. NJCU was able to get something going in the road half of the sixth as senior Juan Pena (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) led off with a walk. A one-out single from junior Ricky Voss (Eatontown, N.J./Monmouth Regional) moved Pena over to second before the senior eventually stole third on a strikeout, putting runners on the corners with two outs. The Gothic Knights however, were unable to capitalize and the game remained scoreless.

NJCU earned another opportunity in the top of the seventh as freshman Elijah Colon (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) reached on a one-out single to left. Fellow rookie Justin Moreno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Trenton Catholic) was next up and hit got hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. A subsequent balk by the Osprey pitcher moved the runners over and the Gothic Knights suddenly had two runners in scoring position with just one out. Unfortunately Stockton was able to get the final two outs of the inning to escape the jam and keep the game scoreless once more.

The bottom of the eighth was where runs were finally scored. Stockton led off by reaching safely on an error at third. Then, with two outs and runners on first and second, Wiltsey looked poised to work his way out of the jam before the Ospreys notched a two-run triple to right to open it up at 2-0. NJCU was unable to tie it up in the next half inning and the game — as well as the Gothic Knights' season — came to a close.

Highlights
- Pena was 1-for-3 with a walk and stolen base in the final game of his collegiate career.
- Hot-hitting junior catcher Mitchell Leslie (Gibbstown, N.J./Gloucester Tech) was 0-for-2, but reached safely twice after getting hit by two pitches.
- Moreno finished the afternoon 0-1, but reached twice on a walk and a hit-by-pitch.