HOBOKEN, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball team faced off with cross-county rival Stevens Institute of Technology on Tuesday night, April 25, under the lights. The Gothic Knights led 2-0 early, but a big six-run third for the Ducks proved to be the difference, despite graduate outfielder Ricky Voss' (Eatontown, N.J./Monmouth Regional) three-run blast in the top of the ninth. Stevens took the game by a final of 8-6.

Senior Julian Fernandez (Union, N.J./Union) had a rough go of it and was saddled with the loss after tossing the first 3.0 innings. However NJCU (11-24) rookie lefthander Jeff Osborne (Spotswood, N.J./Spotswood) entered in relief and threw a solid 3.0 innings. The side-winder did not allow a run, struck out three and gave up just one hit.

Jersey City got ahead in the top of the first. Junior third baseman Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech)w led off with a walk, followed by the same from Voss. A groundout put two runners in scoring position before senior rightfielder Josh Hernandez (Lake Worth, Fla./Park Vista Community) recorded his team-leading 41st RBI on the season with a groundout to second to plate Allo — he's now tied for seventh in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). NJCU tacked on another in the top of the second, with senior leftfielder Bryan Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) creating all the offense. He led off the inning with a ground rule double to left before stealing third with one out. Then, with two outs, a wild pitch from the Ducks (25-11) allowed him to score, making it 2-0.

Stevens cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second before plating six in the bottom of the third to take a 7-2 lead. After two scoreless innings, NJCU got one back in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Fernandez got to second (and eventually third) thanks to a failed pick off by the Ducks and then junior first baseman D.J. Dekis (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) — he entered the previous half inning — collected his second RBI of the season with a single up the middle.

The next four half innings were scoreless before Stevens plated its final run of the night, making it 8-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Leading off the inning was sophomore Salvatore Verlingo (Nutley, N.J./St. Mary) as a pinch hitter and he reached with a base hit — he was then replaced by senior Justin Wiltsey (Hamilton Township, N.J./Hamilton West) as a pinch runner. Allo followed with a single of his own before Voss came in and smacked his fifth home run of the season to cut the lead to 8-6. After a pitching change and various defensive shifts by the Ducks, however, the home team was able to get the next three batters to close out the game.

Highlights:
- Dekis finished 2-for-2 with that RBI in the sixth.
- Voss had three RBI and finished 1-for-3 with a run and two walks to go with that dinger.
- Allo reached base three times with his hit and a pair of walks, scoring twice.
- Fernandez ended 1-for-3 with two runs, a double, a stolen base and a sac bunt.

Up Next:
NJCU returns to action on Thursday, April 27, for a NJAC home tilt at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex against Rutgers-Newark. Action begins at 3:30 p.m.