FISHKILL, N.Y. — On what was a cloudy and somewhat rainy afternoon, the New Jersey City University men's baseball team played on the turf of Dutchess Stadium, home of the Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees High-A minor league affiliate), as they took on a non-conference foe of Mount Saint Mary, Saturday, Mar. 10. In what was a pitching duel for majority of the game in the battle of the Knights', the Mount Saint Mary College Knights bested the Gothic Knights 8-4.
Jersey City (4-2) opened up the top half of the first inning doing what the offense has done five times in the first six games of the season, and that is to score runs in the first inning. Senior infielder Jimmy Vizzoni (Hamilton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) led off the game with a single, and then pressured Mount Saint Mary (2-3) on the basepaths knowing the weather conditions, as he forced a balk to put himself into scoring position. Two batters later the conditions again played a factor as he scored off a throwing error to take a 1-0 lead. The louder source of production in the inning though came from sophomore outfielder John Abrahamsen (Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township) who ripped an RBI single up the middle to score freshman infielder Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) to extend the lead to 2-0. Mount Saint Mary escaped the inning without further trouble and also eventually added on a run to answer back in the home half of the first making the score 2-1.
NJCU wouldn't find any more offensive production until the fourth inning, however luckily for the Gothic Knights, junior pitcher Ali Pompey (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) settled in pitching three consecutive shutout innings after allowing a run to cross the plate in the first. In the top of the fourth, NJCU extended its lead virtue of an RBI single from senior outfielder Caleb Ware (Newark, N.J./University), along with a sacrifice fly from Vizzoni to make the score 4-1. Pompey allowed a run to cross the plate after a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth but immediately settled back in as he retired four of the last five hitters he faced. At the end of the sixth inning, Pompey's statline read, two earned runs on five hits in 6.0 strong quality innings, two strikeouts, and NJCU lead 4-2. Pompey also hit two batters and walked two, but kept a modest pitch count of eighty to pitches to put himself in a winning situation.
Unfortunately though for NJCU the bats went silent after the fourth as the Gothic Knights only mustered two more hits the remainder of the game both coming in the top of the eighth inning. Yarson singled to lead the inning off, but unfortunately was not on the base for Abrahamsen's double as he was erased on the double play, the play prior. NJCU still led 4-2 going into the bottom of the eight, but unfortunately the inning turned out to be the game's turning point. Senior pitcher Justin Wiltsey (Hamilton Township, N.J./Hamilton West), who pitched a one-two-three bottom of the seventh, struggled to find his footing in the eight as the offense of the Knights came to life loading up the bases with one out. Senior pitcher Paul Tannucilli (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) came in to relieve right after, but unfortunately was unable to record an out as he allowed two singles and a walk to put Mount Saint Mary in the lead 5-4. Senior pitcher Frank Shipman (Edison, N.J./Edison) came in after and looked well only facing three batters, but unfortunately a sacrifice fly and a two RBI bloop double opened up the game, expanding the Knights lead to 8-4. NJCU was able to draw two walks in the top half of the ninth inning, but they weren't able to produce a big hit late, as the six run eighth inning became the deciding factor earning Mount Saint Mary an 8-4 win over the Gothic Knights.
Highlights:
- Vizzoni continued his hot start to the season, as his two-for-four performance extended his hitting streak to ten straight games, dating back to Apr. 26, against St. Joseph's of Long Island last season.
- Ware's bat continues to stay consistent for NJCU as he's now four-for-seven to open up the season along with earning a game high two stolen bases today.
- With his two hit performance today, Abrahamsen now has two multi hit games on the season along with tallying eight RBI's over the last four games.
- Despite earning a no decision in today's loss Pompey is making a case of being NJCU's strongest starting pitcher as in two starts and three appearances total this season, he has pitched 12.2 innings, only allowing nine hits total with ten strikeouts, and boasts a mighty 2.84 ERA.
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights head to Wilkes-Barre, P.A. as they take on Wilkes University at Bruggeworth Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. This will be the first ever time these two programs meet on the diamond as Wilkes will play three more games between now and Wednesday before both clubs meet. NJCU will surely be looking to capitalize with a ton of options available, as they will have five days of rest before the game.
