JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The New Jersey City University baseball team dropped the second game of its New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) series to Rutgers-Newark, 13-6, on Friday, April 3, at Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
The Gothic Knights (6-12-1, 0-4 NJAC) were limited to seven hits on the day, while the Scarlet Raiders (10-12, 2-2 NJAC) produced a 23-hit offensive performance. Both teams committed two errors in the contest.
Junior Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) paced NJCU offensively with two runs batted in and added a stolen base. Shawn Kish (Fords, N.J./Woodbridge) and Travis Evernham (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) each turned in multi-hit efforts, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate. Kish highlighted his performance with a home run and a double while scoring twice, and Evernham contributed two runs scored along with a pair of stolen bases.
Phil Kramer (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) (1-3) made the start on the mound for the Gothic Knights, working 5.0 innings while surrendering nine runs on 16 hits and recording two strikeouts. NJCU utilized four relievers in Collin Elam (Ewing, N.J./Ewing), Justin Foy (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy), Joseph Loesner (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), and Derek Bauernschmidt (Little Ferry, N.J./Ridgefield Park) over the final four innings.
Rutgers-Newark was led by Daniel Fedorco, who drove in four runs on a 3-for-5 day. Michael Weinbel delivered a game-high four hits in five at-bats, adding three RBIs and three runs scored, while Joseph Bernardo also went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs. The Scarlet Raiders compiled two doubles, four home runs, and a sacrifice fly in the victory.
Matt Fasulo (1-0) earned the win in relief, tossing 5.0 innings while allowing just one run on five hits. He also recorded a game-high three strikeouts.
The game opened as a pitcher's duel, with Rutgers-Newark recording the lone hit through the first three innings. The Scarlet Raiders broke through in the top of the fourth inning, stringing together three singles and a hit-by-pitch to plate three runs and take an early 3-0 advantage.
NJCU responded in the bottom half of the inning when Kish launched his first collegiate home run over the left field fence for the Gothic Knights' first hit of the game. Evernham reached on a throwing error and promptly stole second base. Later in the inning, Daniel Kapsch (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) and Piacenza worked walks to load the bases, and Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) was hit by a pitch to force in a run, trimming the deficit to 3-2.
Rutgers-Newark added to its lead in the top of the fifth, using a six-hit frame to push across two runs and move ahead 5-2. NJCU answered with its most productive inning of the day in the bottom of the fifth. Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) drew a leadoff walk and Kish was hit by a pitch before Evernham executed a perfectly placed bunt single down the third-base line to load the bases. Elam lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Gelok, and Kapsch followed with an RBI single to bring home Kish. Piacenza then delivered a go-ahead RBI single through the left side, scoring Evernham and giving NJCU its first lead of the contest, 6-5.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Rutgers-Newark responded decisively in the sixth inning. The Scarlet Raiders strung together five consecutive hits to reclaim the lead at 8-6 and added another run on a sacrifice fly to extend the advantage to 9-6.
Rutgers-Newark continued to build on its lead late in the game, scoring twice in the seventh on a hit-by-pitch and a home run, adding another solo homer in the eighth, and closing out the scoring with a solo shot in the ninth to reach the final margin of 13-6.
NJCU's offense was held in check over the final three innings, managing just one hit—a pinch-hit single by Dovid Solomon (Alon Shvut, Israel/Yeshiva Torah and Artzeinu)—as Fasulo and the Scarlet Raider pitching staff shut down any comeback attempt.
UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will return to action on Saturday, April 4, when they travel to Wayne, New Jersey for an NJAC doubleheader against William Paterson. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., with game two to follow.
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.
