JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior left fielder Andrew Rivera (Edison, NJ/Edison) deposited a bases-loaded, three-run triple into the right field corner with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning as New Jersey City University rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 5-3 with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to upend No. 27 ranked St. Joseph's College (Maine), 7-5, in the final game of a three-game weekend series played on Sunday morning at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
NJCU evens its record at 7-7 while defeating its second defending conference champion of the season. St. Joe's, the reigning GNAC champions and ranked No. 27 nationally by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), had its eight-game winning streak snapped while falling to 11-2.
The win was NJCU's first over a nationally ranked team since NJCU defeated Rowan University in Glassboro on March 29, 2003. NJCU, in a game against a nationally ranked team for the fourth time in five games this week, snapped a 23-game losing streak against ranked teams.
NJCU and St. Joe's, meeting in a weekend series for the fourth consecutive year, have seen eight of the 11 games played between the schools decided by three runs or less and 10 by five or fewer runs. The Monks lead the all-time series, 9-2, but had a seven-game winning streak between the clubs end. Sunday's 9 a.m. start was the earliest home start time on record.
Freshman Kevin DeMauro (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), who started the game at second base before moving to right field, entered in relief in the eighth inning and claimed his first collegiate victory (1-0) while maintaining a perfect 0.00 ERA in six appearances on the mound this year over 8.2 innings. In 1.2 innings he allowed just one hit with one strikeout.