JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University (NJCU) baseball team split a non-conference seven-inning doubleheader with St. Joseph's University–Long Island on Tuesday, April 7, earning a 12-7 victory in the opener before dropping an 18-2 decision in the nightcap.
In game one, NJCU (7-14-1) used a fast start and timely hitting to secure the win, outhitting SJLI 10-8 while capitalizing on three Golden Eagle errors. The Gothic Knights wasted no time setting the tone, plating five runs in the top of the first inning. After Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) was hit by a pitch to open the game and later scored on an error, Brandon Piacenza (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) and Matthew Ferber (South Brunswick, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen) delivered RBI hits to extend the lead. With the bases loaded, Kenneth Wines (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) added a two-run single to give NJCU an early 5-0 cushion.
St. Joseph's responded with a run in the bottom half of the first, but NJCU continued to apply pressure. Ferber sparked the third inning with a leadoff double and later scored on a bunt single by Mike Novak (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) to make it 6-1. In the fourth, Gelok scored on another SJLI error before Ferber drove in Daniel Kapsch (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) with a single to push the advantage to 8-1.
The Gothic Knights added two more runs in the fifth after three hit batters and a key hit allowed Travis Evernham (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) and Gelok to cross the plate. NJCU extended the lead to 11-2 in the sixth on a groundout that scored Novak, but SJLI mounted a late push in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs on a flurry of extra-base hits to cut the deficit to 11-7.
NJCU responded with an insurance run in the seventh, as Frandi Yunior Mosquea Mesa (Dominican Republic/Maple Mountain UT) doubled and eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk by Johnovan Rodriguez (Rahway, N.J./Rahway). Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) shut the door in the bottom half, helping secure the 12-7 victory.
Ferber led the offense, going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Piacenza, Kapsch, and Wines each drove in two runs. Gelok scored a game-high three times, and the Gothic Knights were aggressive on the basepaths with five stolen bases. On the mound, Dovid Solomon (Alon Shvut, Israel/Yeshiva Torah and Artzeinu) (1-1) earned his first collegiate victory, tossing 6.0 innings, while Vaughn added a strikeout in relief.
In game two, the momentum shifted dramatically as SJLI broke the game open early and never looked back. NJCU struck first in the opening inning when Vaughn tripled and scored on a Piacenza single, but the Golden Eagles answered immediately and took control in the second inning, erupting for six runs on six hits and an error to build a 7-1 lead.
The Gothic Knights added their second run in the third inning, as Kapsch singled, stole second, and scored on another RBI hit by Piacenza. However, SJLI responded with another offensive surge, scoring eight runs across the third and fifth innings to extend the lead to 18-2.
NJCU recorded nine hits in the contest, with Piacenza leading the way with a perfect 2-for-2 performance and both RBIs. Vaughn added a triple and scored once, while Kapsch also crossed the plate and contributed a stolen base. Despite the offensive efforts, NJCU was unable to slow down the Golden Eagles, who finished with 16 hits and played error-free defense.
Derek Baurenschmidt (0-1) was charged with the loss in relief, allowing five runs in one inning of work. Brandon Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) started the game, with multiple relievers—Joseph Loesner (Secaucus, N.J./Secaucus), Yannid Narvaez (Cartago, Costa Rica/International Christian Academy), Gelok, and CJ Banos (Somerville, N.J./Somerville)—seeing action out of the bullpen. Banos recorded NJCU's lone strikeout of the game.
UP NEXT:
The Gothic Knights will look to bounce back on Thursday, April 9, when they return home to host Ramapo College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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