WAYNE, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball squad has now won seven games in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play, which is the most for the program since 1995. The Gothic Knights, behind continued solid pitching from senior righthander
Ali Pompey (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) — he tossed his second-straight complete game in the victory — defeated William Paterson University on the road on Thursday, April 25, by a final of 7-3.
NJCU (13-20, 7-8 NJAC) got off to another quick start, as the Gothic Knights have done nearly all season, against the Pioneers (9-26, 4-11 NJAC). Rookie rightfielder
Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial) led off with a single to left and then a walk from senior third baseman
Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) put two runners on. Sophomore designated hitter
Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) then dropped down a successful bunt single to load the bases with no outs. A RBI fielder's choice from freshman leftfielder
Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) made it 1-0, plating Ricourt. Fifth year centerfielder
Bryan Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) then hit a sac fly to left to make it 2-0.
The Green and Gold tacked on another run to make it 3-0 in the top of the third. Freshman first baseman
Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) led off with the first triple of his collegiate career, followed by a RBI infield single to short by junior catcher
Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township). Pompey kept it scoreless once again in the home half, but the Pioneers got a couple back in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.
Neither squad managed anything offensively over the next three innings before NJCU took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh. Senior second baseman
Justin Moreno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Trenton Catholic) started it off with a one-out double to the gap in right. A groundout moved him to third before Ricourt made it 4-2 with a single to right. After a flawless seventh for Pompey, William Paterson did get to the righty for one run in the bottom of the eight on a sacrifice fly, making it 4-3.
In need of insurance runs in the ninth, the Gothic Knights did more than that, putting up three runs to give Pompey some wiggle room. Vaughn led off with a one-out error at third before Moreno put two on with a single. Ricourt struck again, this time with two outs, to make it 5-3 with a RBI single. Then, Moreno was able to cross the plate via a failed pickoff attempt by the Pioneers to make it 6-3. Finally, Allo made it 7-3 with a one-run single to right, scoring Ricourt. Pompey closed out the ninth for the victory.
Highlights:
- Pompey dropped his ERA under 4.00 (3.96) with his third straight victory and is now 4-3 on the season.
- Yarson, who was 1-for-4, now has a 16-game on-base streak, which includes a current 14-game hitting streak.
- Allo was 2-for-4 with one run, a RBI and a walk. He is currently riding a 10-game on-base streak, including a seven-game hitting streak.
- Piacenza, who was 1-for-4 with a run and a triple and is now riding a nine-game hitting streak and 10-game on-base streak.
- Ricourt was 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs, while Vaughn was 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI.
- Moreno was 3-for-3 with two runs, a double and a sac bunt.
Up Next:
NJCU remains in seventh place in the NJAC standings, a game back of #19-ranked Rowan University, who is 8-7 and in sixth place in the standings with three game left in conference play. The Gothic Knights return to action tomorrow, Friday, April 26, for their home NJAC regular-season finale against the Pioneers, beginning at 3:30 p.m. They then travel down to Glassboro, N.J., for a possible playoff-clinching series against the Profs on Saturday, April 27.
