LEXINGTON, Ky. — The New Jersey City University baseball team continued its five-day trip in Kentucky on Wednesday evening, March 13, against Transylvania University. Much like yesterday, the Gothic Knights got ahead early, but were unable to maintain that lead en route to the 7-3 loss to the Pioneers.
NJCU (2-3) nearly got on the board in the top of the first, getting two runners in scoring position with two outs, but a strikeout foiled that offensive opportunity against Transylvania (9-2). Sophomore righthander
Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) got the start on the bump for the Gothic Knights and worked around a one-out hit by pitch in the home half to keep it scoreless.
He was rewarded with a couple of small-ball runs by the Green and Gold in the top of the second. Senior third baseman
Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) led off with an infield single before fifth year leftfielder
Bryan Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) notched a base-hit to put two runners on. Freshman first baseman
Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) dropped down a sacrifice next to put two runners in scoring position with just one out. A subsequent balk by the Pioneers' pitcher forced in Allo from third to make it 1-0. Then, for the second straight day, sophomore shortstop
Arian Lunar (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) dropped down a sacrifice bunt that allowed the runner, Piacenza, to score from third, making it 2-0.
Yarson stranded a couple on base in the bottom of the second to hold on to the 2-0 lead, but NJCU was unable to tack on in the top of the third. Transy then got to Yarson for three runs — two earned — in the home half of the third, including a leadoff homer, to make it a 3-2 lead for the home squad. The fourth was quiet for both sides, but the Pioneers got two more via a one-out, two-run double in the bottom of the fifth to go up 5-2.
Yarson helped his own cause in the top of the sixth, leading off with a double down the line in right. He eventually came around to score on a RBI groundout from Allo, making it 5-3. After a scoreless bottom of the sixth, Yarson's night on the mound was over at 6.0 innings, allowing four earned with six strikeouts in the loss as he shifted into the designated hitter spot for the remainder of the game.
NJCU tried to make some noise in the top of the eight as freshman rightfielder
Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) led off with a single, followed by the same from Yarson to put two runners on with no outs. A sac bunt from junior catcher
Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) moved the runners over, but the next two batters went down via a lineout and groundout to end the half inning. Transylvania ended the night's scoring in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run shot and the final was 7-3.
Highlights:
- Yarson was strong at the plate once again, going 3-for-4 with two more doubles and a run scored.
- Rookie centerfielder
Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) was 1-for-4 with a stolen base, while Beltra was 1-for-3 with a walk.
- Senior
D.J. Dekis (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) entered the game in the top of the fourth to play first base and finished 0-for-1 with two walks and a stolen base.
- Allo finished 1-for-4 with a run and a RBI, while Fernandez was 1-for-4 with a run.
- Fifth year righthander
Berto Reyes (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) and sophomore lefty
Jeffrey Osborne (Spotswood, N.J./Spotswood) tossed the seventh and eighth innings, each allowing one earned run.
Up Next:
It will be the same time, same place for the Gothic Knights and Pioneers tomorrow, Thursday, March 14, as they meet up again at Legends Stadium for a 5:00 p.m. first pitch.
