KING'S POINT, N.Y. - The New Jersey City University (NJCU) baseball team suffered a tough 13-4 defeat to the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) on Wednesday, March 26, in a non-conference game. This matchup marked the first time the two teams had met since the 2007 season, where NJCU emerged victorious with an 11-5 win. Historically, the Gothic Knights hold a 5-3 record against the Mariners.

USMMA (7-8) out-hit NJCU (9-6-1) by a margin of 13-4. Despite the Mariners' offensive onslaught, they also committed four errors, which presented NJCU with a few opportunities. Arian Lunar (Caracas, Venezuela/Elizabeth), Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), and Will McChesney (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) each contributed one RBI for the Gothic Knights, with Lunar and James Bajana each recording doubles. Bajana also scored a run, while the team displayed their speed on the basepaths, tallying five stolen bases, including two from Justin Moreno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Trenton Catholic).

Phil Kramer (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) (1-1) started on the mound and pitched 5.1 innings, allowing eight hits and six runs while striking out six batters. Following Kramer, Colin Elam, Danny Olear (Cranford, N.J./Cranford), Ricky Del Rio (Edison, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas), Savior Maxwell (Jersey City, N.J./Snyder), Jeffrey Osbourne, and Derek Bauernschmidt (Little Ferry, N.J./Ridgefield Park) all took turns on the mound. Elam struggled, allowing three runs in just 0.1 innings, while Olear allowed two runs in his brief appearance. Del Rio allowed a run in his inning, and Maxwell, Osbourne, and Bauernschmidt closed the game without giving up any hits.

On the other hand, USMMA's pitching staff was led by Tommy Chiappetti (1-0), who earned the win after throwing six solid innings. He allowed just three hits and two runs while striking out seven batters. Eddie Lippert and Luke Kruer combined for two innings in relief, striking out two batters between them. Caden Pierce closed out the game, allowing two runs and one hit while also recording a strikeout.

The game was scoreless for the first 3.5 innings, but USMMA broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth. After a series of singles and a hit-by-pitch, the Mariners managed to bring a runner home. NJCU responded in the sixth inning when Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial) led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and then scored on a double by Lunar. The Gothic Knights briefly took the lead after a hit from Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield), but the Mariners quickly regained control. In the bottom of the sixth, USMMA exploded for 10 runs on seven hits.

Despite being down 13-3, NJCU showed some resilience in the top of the ninth. James Bajana led off with a double, and after McChesney reached first on an error, Bajana scored. McChesney stole second base and advanced to third on a walk, setting up NJCU's final run on a wild pitch.

UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights look to bounce back as they head to Drew University for their next game on Thursday, March 27, at 3:30 p.m.

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