MADISON, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball team played on the road for the first time this season, taking on FDU-Florham on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 27. NJCU received some solid pitching, but could not muster enough run support late in the 4-2 loss to the Devils.

Sophomore righthander Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) threw 6.0 quality innings, allowing three earned on six hits with four strikeouts in the loss. His bullpen then combined for 2.0 more innings with one earned on one hit, including a scoreless 0.2 from reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Rookie Pitcher of the Week, Ricky Del Rio (Edison, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas). The Gothic Knights (1-1) got on the board first as reigning NJAC Rookie of the Week, Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial), led the game off with a triple. Despite that, FDU-Florham (2-3) eventually worked it down to a first and second, two out situation, but junior catcher Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) and senior third baseman Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) forced an early miscue to make it 1-0.

Both players took off for a double-steal attempt, Vaughn got caught in a pickle between first and second and Allo easily stole third. Then, he charged off for home as the catcher threw to second and eventually beat the throw back to the plate. Unfortunately, FDU-Florham got on the board in the next half inning with a pair of runs on a couple of hits and a walk to take the 2-1 lead.

The Gothic Knights threatened to even it up in the top of the third with a couple of walks and a pair of steals, but it was not to be. The Devils tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with a one-out sac fly to go up 3-1. NJCU did trim it back to a one-run game in the top of the seventh, but left a little offense on the table. Freshman Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) led off with a walk, stole second and wound up at third after a base-hit from senior Ali Pompay. Gelok looked to make it 3-2 in the next at-bat, a sac fly from sophomore shortstop Arian Lunar (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth), but he was called out for leaving early. Later on, though, with the bases loaded, freshman Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) picked up the RBI walk to force in a run.

FDU-Florham got one back via a one-out sac fly in the bottom of the eighth to make it 4-2. Last licks in the top of the ninth saw NJCU make one final run to try and tie it up and send it to extras. Lunar led off with a walk, followed a
couple of flyouts to right. Beltra then singled to move Lunar to second, but the next batter struck out to end the game.

Highlights:
- Beltra finished the day 2-for-4 with a walk and a RBI.
- Gelok was 0-for-2, but notched a couple of walks and a steal.
- Lunar was 2-for-3 with a walk and two stolen bags.

Up Next:
NJCU now takes a couple of day's brief respite before returning to action at Caven Point Field for the first-time this season. The Gothic Knights welcome St. Joseph's University-Brooklyn to town that day.