SOURCE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2017/4/21/201704-21_BASEBALL_vs_Montclair_State.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore left-handed pitcher Kyle Kafer (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown) retired the final 13 Montclair State University batters of the game in order in a combined three-hitter and freshman designated hitter Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) (Edison, N.J./Edison) crushed two home runs as the New Jersey City University baseball team defeated the Red Hawks, 4-1, in game two of a New Jersey Athletic Conference home-and-home series on April 21 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
 
After being three-hit in a 6-1 loss in the opening game of the series in Montclair, N.J. on April 20, NJCU (12-15, 3-9 NJAC) returned the favor as sophomore right-handed pitcher Nate Facey (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick) went the first two innings and Kafer was handed the ball in the third inning as part of NJCU's 'leveraged starter system' before delivering perhaps his best collegiate performance.
 
Kafer, the winner (2-4), retired the Red Hawks (11-19, 4-8 NJAC) in order in five of his seven innings of work, setting them down 1-2-3 in the third, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Over a 77-pitch outing, he struck out two, walked one and allowed just three hits.
 
Gomez, a one-time NJAC Rookie Player of the Week, unleashed his second and third homers of the season—tying the game with a solo shot in the second inning before giving NJCU the final three-run cushion with a two-run bomb in the eighth.
 
Gomez became the second Gothic Knight to hit two homers in a game this season after sophomore shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) hit a pair against Rutgers-Newark on April 9. LoGatto had a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh to snap a 1-1 tie and drive in the eventual winning run.
 
Gomez finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs as NJCU collected 10 hits. Senior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) was 3-for-4 while freshman left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) batted 2-for-4.
 
Facey went the first 2.0 innings and did not allow a hit while giving up a run with two strikeouts and four walks (one intentional). MSU scored in the top of the first inning before being shutout for the final eight frames.
 
MSU junior righty Austin Minton (Roebling, N.J.) pitched well through seven innings before NJCU forced him out of the game in the eighth. In the loss (1-4), he allowed four runs and nine hits with three strikeouts (one walk).
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
MSU opened the game with back-to-back walks in the first and after a sacrifice, an intentional walk loaded the bases. Freshman third baseman Joe Norton (Cranford, N.J.) had a sacrifice fly to left center for a 1-0 lead. But MSU would not score again and Facey got of trouble, stranding two on base. In the bottom of the second when MSU threatened, Facey coaxed an inning-ending double play.
 
Gomez got NJCU even in the second when he lined a homer over the left field fence on an 0-2 pitch. It was the first hit for either team and his second shot of the season.
 
Kafer set aside MSU in order in the third and didn't allow a hit until Norton led off the fourth with a double. In the fifth, MSU loaded the bases after a double, single and a walk before a fly out ended the threat.
 
Tied 1-1, NJCU had a chance in the bottom of the fifth when senior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Colonia, N.J./JFK Memorial-Iselin) reached second with two outs after a pair of MSU throwing errors but was stranded there.
 
In the seventh, NJCU had its first hits since the fourth inning when senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck), Feehan and Pulcine all led off with singles to right center.  Kyle Kafer retired the final 13 batters in order to seal the win.
LoGatto hit the first pitch he saw to right for a sac fly to score Ruscingno with the go-ahead run and a 2-1 lead. Buchholz tried to squeeze in Feehan from third with a bunt before a play at the plate retired the first of two Gothic Knights at the plate in the game.
 
With Kafer dominating Montclair, NJCU gave him insurance in the eighth inning as junior first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex), the NJAC Player of the Week, singled with one out and moved to second before Gomez crushed a 1-0 pitch deep to left for his second homer of the game and third of the season for a 4-1 lead. A double by Feehan finally chased Minton before a pinch runner was thrown out at the plate. Kafer struck out the final Montclair player looking to end the game.
 
OF NOTE:

• Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) notched his 144th career hit to move into 12th place in school history, passing Sean Costello (143 hits, 1984-87) on the all-time hits list. Costello graduated as the program's all-time hits leader 30 years ago.
• Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) had one hit and now with 96 is just four shy of 100. When that happens he will be the 43rd member of the 100-hit club and the third to reach the milestone this year (Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia), Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin))
• Senior second baseman Taylor Born (South Plainfield, NJ /South Plainfield) (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) was hit by a pitch for the first time this year. As a freshman in 2014 he set a single-season record with 15 hit by pitches and has now been hit a program record 27 times in his career.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU faces a stiff challenge on Saturday, April 22 (11:30 a.m.) when it heads to Ewing, N.J. for an NJAC doubleheader against No. 11/13 ranked The College of New Jersey (22-7, 10-2 NJAC). The Lions, ranked No. 11 by the American Baseball Coaches Association and 13th by D3baseball.com, had an eight-game winning streak snapped on April 21 against Rowan. NJCU has had less success in the last 30 years against TCNJ than any opponent. TCNJ has won the last 38 meetings and has outscored NJCU during that span, 277-78. NJCU's last win over the Lions came on April 16, 1997 in Ewing, NJ—a 7-4 decision.
 
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