JERSEY CITY, N.J. — After 35 years, the New Jersey City University baseball program has a new all-time home run king. Graduate outfielder
Ricky Voss (Eatontown, N.J./Monmouth Regional) blasted a three-run shot to deep right with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Thursday afternoon, April 13, at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival #RV Montclair State University. The 19th home run of his career came in Voss' 518th at-bat in his 141st game. Despite the late-inning heroics, however, the Gothic Knights ultimately fell to the Red Hawks, 16-8, due in large part to a monstrous seventh inning for the visitors.
The high-scoring contest did not always give off that feel as, after the first inning when it was tied up at 1-1, neither scored again until the six. In fact, heading into the top of the seventh, the Gothic Knights (10-16, 1-6 NJAC) led the Red Hawks (16-7, 3-4 NJAC), 4-3. After Montclair's leadoff runner got on with a double and eventually scored, NJCU tied it up in the bottom half. Junior third baseman
Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) led off with a walk — his first of three on the afternoon and he now leads the squad with 17 on the season — and eventually came around to score on a bad throw from the catcher, who was trying to nail Voss in his attempt to steal second. The next four innings flew by.
Montclair State woke the game's offensive side up again in the top of the sixth, scoring twice to go up 3-1 at the time. With the top of the order coming up in the home half, Allo once again started off with a walk. Voss followed suit with a free bag of his own before senior leftfielder
Jimmy Vizzoni (Hamilton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) surprised the Red Hawks by dropping down a bunt to the pitcher and reached safely with a single to load the bases. Senior rightfielder
Josh Hernandez (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista Community) then promptly came up and hit a one-run single to left to make it 3-2. After a pitching change, freshman second baseman
Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) reached on a fielder's choice, but another run crossed to tie it up at 3-3. In the next at-bat, Vizzoni scored on the ground out to make it 4-3 for the NJCU lead.
Unfortunately, the Red Hawks exploded for eight runs on five hits, three walks and a hit-by-pitch in the top of the seventh to make it 11-4 in their favor. They would score three more in the top of the eighth, as well. Jersey City got one back to cut it to 14-5 in the bottom half as Yarson had a RBI groundout to score Vizzoni from third. Montclair State again scored a pair in the top of the ninth, however Voss and the Gothic Knights answered mightily with his aforementioned historic three-run blast. The scoring would end, though, at that point as MSU won, 16-8.
Highlights:
- Senior righthander
Paul Tannucilli (Old Bridge, N.J./Old Bridge) got the start, his fourth of the season over 11 appearances, and pitched very well over 5.2 innings of three-run ball, throwing 102 pitches. He did not factor into the decision.
- Voss finished 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBI, a walk, a stolen base and that monumental home run.
- Vizzoni was also 2-for-4, scoring twice, as was Hernandez (2-for-4). Additionally, the latter walked once, had a double and knocked in a run.
Up Next:
NJCU closes out the regular-season home-and-home series with Montclair State tomorrow afternoon, Friday, April 14, at 3:30 p.m. at Yogi Berra Stadium in Montclair, N.J.
