NJCU Baseball hosted Rutgers University (Newark) on April 5 for a two-game series in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). The team is currently 2-1 in the NJAC and 11-5 for the overall season. As the Gothic Knights faced the Scarlet Raiders in windy conditions, the team collected 14 runs, 16 hits and zero errors.

Anthony Zicaro was winning pitcher and played for eight innings however was relieved in the ninth by Jason Rivera. Zicaro collected six hits, two walks, seven strikeouts and three errors. He allowed only three hits and threw a total of 139 pitches.

At the bottom of the third, the first run was achieved when Lenin Gomez doubled to the right and Bill Feehan scored. Mike Ramirez successfully hit a three-run homer over the fence which allowed Juan Pena and Gomez to score. The homer gave NJCU a three-point lead until the bottom of the fifth when the team delivered more runs.

Ramirez returned in the fifth and lined out to centerfield and allowed for Gomez to score. Two more runs were achieved when Jan Castellano hit a double and Pena scored while Tom Pulcine singled and Castellano scored.

The Gothic Knights cashed in six runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ramirez singled and advanced to second on a throwing error which allowed Dan Berardi to score. Pena reached on a fielder’s choice to first base and successfully stole second. With the assist from Castellano who flied out to right field, Pena scored. Pulcine doubled to right field and Ramirez scored. Nick LoGatto reached on a fielding error which allowed Pulcine to advance to third and score on a throwing error along with Jesse Kraft who also scored.

With NJCU in the lead at the bottom of the eighth, Mike McLaughlin relieved Feehan and doubled to center field which permitted Ryan Guthrie to score. The last run was accomplished by Gomez who singled and allowed Dan McLaughlin to score. The game continued until the bottom of the ninth inning. The Gothic Knights won 14-3 in the two-game series of the NJAC.

The team is scheduled to play Rutgers (Newark) on April 6. Stay tuned here and on NJCU Gothic Knights for more information about NJCU Athletics.