JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball team battled throughout but ultimately fell to the University of Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins, 10–6, on Thursday, March 26, at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
Despite outhitting UMSV, 11–10, and taking advantage of four Dolphin errors, NJCU was unable to contain a persistent Mount Saint Vincent offense that capitalized in key situations. With the loss, the Gothic Knights move to 6-7-1 overall, while the Dolphins improve to 4-11.
NJCU's offense was led by Travis Evernham (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan), who recorded a team-best two RBIs while finishing 1-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Daniel Kapsch (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) turned in a strong performance, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run, while Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) added two extra-base hits, finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and an RBI. Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) also registered a multi-hit effort at 2-for-5, and Frandi Yunior Mosquea Mesa (Dominican Republic/Maple Mountain UT) contributed an RBI while swiping a team-high two bases. Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial), Collin Elam (Ewing, N.J./Ewing), Gelok, and Kapsch all crossed the plate for NJCU, with Elam scoring twice.
On the mound, Jeffrey Osbourne made the start and worked 2.0 innings, allowing just one hit and two runs while striking out one. Derek Bauernschmidt (Little Ferry, N.J./Ridgefield Park) followed in relief in the third inning, while Yannid Narvaez (Cartago, Costa Rica/International Christian Academy) (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs over the fourth and fifth innings. The NJCU bullpen saw additional work from Brandon Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial), Nick Chirelli (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville), and Dovid Solomon (Alon Shvut, Israel/Yeshiva Torah and Artzeinu), with Solomon delivering an effective outing by tossing two hitless innings and striking out a team-high three. Both Bauernschmidt and Fernandez did not issue a walk, helping limit additional scoring opportunities for UMSV.
Mount Saint Vincent was paced offensively by John Anthony Spanoudakis and Stephen Marinez, who each drove in three runs, while Zach Turko fueled the lineup with a 3-for-4 performance and scored five times. The Dolphins consistently executed in situational at-bats, compiling four sacrifice flies. On the mound, Michael Iocco (1-1) earned the victory with a steady relief appearance, allowing one run on four hits over innings four through eight, while Joseph Santos started and struck out a game-high four batters across the first three innings.
The Dolphins struck first in the top of the opening frame, using a two-out sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. NJCU immediately threatened in the bottom half, as Piacenza and Kapsch opened with back-to-back singles, but UMSV escaped the inning with a pair of strikeouts and a pop-up to keep the Gothic Knights off the board. After a scoreless second inning, Mount Saint Vincent extended its lead to 2-0 in the third, stringing together two walks and a single before a groundout brought home the run.
NJCU responded in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of defensive miscues to cut the deficit in half. Kapsch reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on a throwing error, and Mosquea Mesa followed by reaching on another throwing error that allowed Kapsch to score and make it 2-1. The Gothic Knights then surged ahead in the fourth inning with a four-run rally. Ricourt opened with a single, followed by Elam's base hit, before Gelok delivered an RBI double to plate Ricourt and move runners into scoring position. Evernham then reached on an error that brought home two runs, and Kapsch capped the inning with an RBI single up the middle to give NJCU a 5-2 advantage.
The lead was short-lived, however, as UMSV answered in the top of the fifth with three runs to even the score at 5-5, capitalizing on a walk, a single, a sacrifice fly, and a double. After holding NJCU scoreless in the bottom half, the Dolphins regained the lead in the sixth inning, using a hit-by-pitch, two hits, and another sacrifice fly to move in front, 7-5. Mount Saint Vincent continued to apply pressure in the seventh, loading the bases and scoring on a hit-by-pitch to extend the lead to 8-5.
NJCU trimmed the deficit to two runs in the bottom of the eighth, as Elam reached on a fielder's choice and Gelok followed with his second double of the game to put two runners in scoring position. Evernham produced a run with a groundout, bringing home Elam to make it 8-6. Still, the Dolphins responded with insurance runs in the ninth, taking advantage of two walks and two NJCU errors, along with a sacrifice fly, to push the lead to 10-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, NJCU was unable to mount a comeback, as UMSV retired the side without allowing a hit to secure the victory.
UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will return to action on Saturday, March 28, when they open New Jersey Athletic Conference play with a home doubleheader against No. 5 Kean University at the Gerrity Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., with game two to follow at 2:30 p.m.
For the latest news, updates, and information on New Jersey City University Athletics, visit NJCUGothicKnights.com and follow the Gothic Knights on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
