GLENSIDE, PA | The New Jersey City University (NJCU) baseball squad suffered a non-conference defeat to Arcadia this afternoon, 17-8.

NJCU (1-2-1) scattered six hits and tallied three errors in the loss. Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and Travis Evernham (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) led the Gothic Knights, going 1-for-2 with two RBI each. Phil Kramer (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) (1-1) hurled 4.2 innings with four strikeouts while allowing 9 runs on 12 hits.

Arcadia (2-5) used 20 hits to tally 17 runs in the win. Kevin Wheeler paced Arcadia with four hits and two RBI, while Taro Pustilnik collected a team-high 3 RBI. On the bump, Braden Kelly (1-0) earned the win in one inning of action.

Arcadia plated the first two runs of the game in the opening frame on a two-run homer by Max Oswald. The Gothic Knights cracked the scoreboard in the top of the third when a wild pitch scored Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) and Evernham to knot the game at two. The tie didn't last as Arcadia answered with a pair in the bottom of the frame to move ahead, 4-2.

NJCU erupted for five of its eight runs in the top of the fourth to seize a 7-4 lead over Arcadia. Frandi Yunior Mosquea Mesa (Dominican Republic/Maple Mountain UT) opened the inning by reaching first on an error before quickly advancing to second on a Johnovan Rodriguez (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) single. A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position before Shawn Kish (Fords, N.J./Woodbridge) ripped an RBI double to left field. Building off that momentum, Evernham and Gelok followed suit to pick up RBIs of their own. Piacenza capped the inning with a two-RBI single to left field that put the Gothic Knights ahead.

Arcadia trimmed the lead in the bottom of the frame by scoring two runs. With the lead in hand, the Gothic Knights added a run in the fifth only to see their advantage evaporate over the final three innings as Arcadia exploded for 11 runs to secure the win.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Friday, March 13 when they host Plattsburgh at Centenary at 3:30 pm.

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