LEXINGTON, Ky. — The New Jersey City University baseball team kicked off its 2024 Spring trip to Kentucky on Tuesday night, March 12, as the Gothic Knights squared off with Asbury University on a neutral field — Legends Stadium, home to the Lexington Legends of the Atlantic League, as well as Transylvania University, NJCU's other Kentucky opponent for the upcoming four days. The Green and Gold got ahead of the Eagles early, but a tough bottom of the fifth led Asbury past NJCU, 8-4.

The Gothic Knights (2-1) started things off strong against Asbury (6-5), as rookie centerfielder Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) led the game off with a double to the gap in right. After a groundout advanced Gelok to third, freshman leftfielder Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) cracked a double to the gap in left for the RBI to make it 1-0. Sophomore rightfielder Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) followed up immediately with a double of his own — his first of three on the night — to make it 2-0. Junior righthander Andre Dean (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) got the start and worked around a one-out hit in the home half to maintain that lead.

Neither squad was able to make any more noise offensively until NJCU struck again in the top of the fourth. Senior third baseman Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) led off with a double to the gap in left before rookie designated hitter Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) put runners on the corners with an infield single to second. Then, with one out, sophomore shortstop Arian Lunar (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) converted on an outstanding play, dropping a bunt right down the shallow first base line, allowing Allo to come in safely from third for the RBI sacrifice.

After a 1-2-3 inning for Dean in the home half, the Gothic Knights once again scratched one across in the top of the fifth. Beltra started it with a one-out single, followed by another double from Yarson to put two runners in scoring position and chase the Eagles' stater from the game. Junior catcher Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) made it 4-0 after the pitching change with a RBI groundout, however NJCU was unable to tack on any more runs in the inning.

Unfortunately, the bottom of the fifth is where things came undone for the Green and Gold as Asbury loaded the bases with no outs, forced in a run on a walk and then hit a grand slam to make it 5-4. Dean answered with back-to-back outs, but his night ended after hitting the next batter. Rookie righthander Danny Olear (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) entered in relief and allowed another two runs to score before finishing up the inning with NJCU down 7-4.  A bases loaded hit-by-pitch for the Eagles in the bottom of the sixth then made it 8-4, which was ultimately the final.

Highlights:
- Yarson hit in the cleanup spot and finished 4-for-4 with three doubles and a RBI.
- Beltra was 2-for-4 with two runs, a double and a RBI.
- Gelok and Allo were both 1-for-4 with doubles and one run apiece. Gelok also drew a walk in one of his plate appearances.
- Piacenza was 1-for-3, as well, while Lunar was 0-for-1, but reached once on a walk and had that RBI sac bunt.
- Dean had a solid first 4.0 innings in the start, but was saddled with the loss after tossing 4.2 with four strikeouts and six earned.
- Senior knuckleballer D.J. Dekis (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) entered in relief in the seventh and tossed a scoreless and hitless 2.0 innings with just one walk allowed.

Up Next:
As mentioned, the Gothic Knights return to action tomorrow evening, Wednesday, March 13, for a 5:00 p.m. game back at Legends Stadium against Transylvania. The Pioneers, a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC), sport an 8-2 overall record entering the game.