MONTCLAIR, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In a way, the ninth inning of game two between New Jersey City University and Montclair State University on April 26 could be framed as the panoramic photo summarizing the 2014 Gothic Knight baseball season. NJCU led 3-2 entering the ninth before Montclair scored twice—including the winning run on a walkoff wild pitch—as MSU survived for a 4-3 victory in the New Jersey Athletic Conference final doubleheader for both teams. MSU won game one at Yogi Berra Stadium, 7-1. It was the third time in a week that a wild pitch in the eighth or ninth inning in a tied ballgame allowed the winning run to score in an NJCU loss.
Montclair (20-15, 13-5 NJAC), which won its fourth in a row and for the 12th time in 14 games, clinched the No. 3 seed in the NJAC Tournament. NJCU (10-23, 4-14 NJAC) lost its third in a row and for the 11th time in 12 outings. Game two was NJCU's first loss when leading after eight innings this season in 11 chances (10-1).
In a frustrating, injury-plagued season for NJCU, eight of its last 11 losses have come by two or less runs, including four one-run setbacks. The Knights dropped to 2-6 in one-run games and 4-11 in contests decided by two runs or less.
Even more frustrating was how close the final NJAC standings played out with William Paterson University claiming the final playoff berth with 15 points. Had NJCU won the five NJAC games that it squandered a lead or tie in the eighth or ninth inning this season—a 7-5 loss at Richard Stockton on April 11, a 3-2 loss at Kean on April 12, 4-2 and 5-3 setbacks to William Paterson on April 19 and April 26 at Montclair—NJCU would have finished the season with 18 points and been the No. 5 seed in the NJAC Tournament. NJCU also lost a 1-0, 12-inning game to Kean.