NJCU Baseball challenged Rutgers (Camden) on April 28 for a New Jersey Athletic Conference doubleheader. The team is currently 19-17 for the overall season and 6-11 for the NJAC.

In Game 1, the Gothic Knights collected two runs, eight hits and three errors.

Rutgers ripped six epic runs in the bottom of the fourth and another two runs in the fifth. The Crusaders maintained a 9-0 shutout until the ninth when NJCU gathered two runs.

In the ninth, Jan Castellano reached on a throwing error by shortstop and advanced to second which allowed Jesse Kraft to score. Immediately after, Tom Pulcine fired a single through the right side and Castellano scored.

Mike Ramirez pitched for four innings and faced 22 batters. He collected seven groundouts, three earned runs, two walks and four strikeouts.

In Game 2, the Gothic Knights had a major comeback and pulled away with a victory. With the win, the team is now eligible for the Eastern College Atlantic Conference in May. However, the team didn’t qualify for the first round of the NJAC Tournament. NJCU collected eight runs, 12 hits and one error.

Kyle Kafer pitched for nine innings and faced a total of 36 batters. He collected nine hits, two runs, two earned runs, zero walks and 11 groundouts. Kafer intercepted numerous of batters from becoming baserunners, but only allowed two runs.

Mike Ramirez entered the second and grounded out to shortstop which allowed Nick LoGatto scored.

Ryan Guthrie fired a single to left field in the fifth and Jesse Kraft scored. Juan Pena reached on a throwing error by the pitcher and Guthrie scored.

In the sixth, Kraft reached on a fielder’s choice which allowed LoGatto scored.

The Gothic Knights ripped four runs back to back in the ninth. Pulcine singled to left field and Kraft scored. Pena crushed a fly ball to left field which permitted Castellano scored. Bill Feehan singled to left center and Guthrie scored. LoGatto singled through the left side and Pulcine scored. The team maintained a seven-point lead by the end of the inning and pulled away 8-2.