EWING, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University baseball team knocked off its second ranked New Jersey Athletic Conference opponent on the road this season and for the Gothic Knights, it vanquished a losing streak against the one opponent it has struggled with for 20 years. NJCU scored four runs in the second inning, added a pair of late insurance runs and received nearly five innings of incredible relief from sophomore right-handed pitcher Jose Ortiz (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) as the Gothic Knights defeated No. 11/13 ranked The College of New Jersey, 6-4, in game two of an NJAC doubleheader at George Ackerman Park. TCNJ won game one, 7-0.
 
NJCU (13-16, 4-10 NJAC) snapped a 39-game losing streak against TCNJ (23-8, 11-3 NJAC) and defeated the Lions for the first time since April 16, 1997 in Ewing, NJ—a 7-4 decision. It gives NJCU it's second win over a ranked team this year after beating Kean, 10-8, in Union, N.J. on April 1.
 
TCNJ has only lost to NJCU, Ramapo and Rowan in league play.  The Lions are ranked No. 11 by the American Baseball Coaches Association and 13th by D3baseball.com. The Lions had won 13 of 15 games overall this year prior to losing game two.

With the win, the current NJCU baseball senior class has defeated all nine teams in the NJAC during their collegiate careers. Moreover, with eight points, NJCU remains alive in the conference playoff race with four games next week against Rowan and Rutgers-Camden.
 
Game 1: The College of New Jersey 7, New Jersey City 0
TCNJ junior righty Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, N.J.) tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout to lead the Lions to victory. He struck out 10, walked two over 116 pitches to improve to 4-0.
 
NJCU was shutout for the first time all season and the first time in a span of 39 games. TCNJ was also the last team to shutout NJCU, 4-0, on April 16, 2016.
 
TCNJ scored twice in the first inning and added two runs in the fifth and sixth innings with another in the seventh. Junior designated hitter Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, N.J.) was 3-for-3 with two RBIs (one run) and senior catcher CJ Gearhart (Robbinsville, N.J.) had two RBIs (2-for-5, one run).
 
Also for the Lions, junior shortstop Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, N.Y.) was 2-for-4 (one run, one RBI), junior third baseman Austin Lindsay (New Egypt, N.J.) had two RBIs and  freshman center fielder Thomas Persichetti (Hamilton, N.J.) scored twice.
 
Senior second baseman Taylor Born (South Plainfield, NJ /South Plainfield) (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) had half of NJCU's hits, going 2-for-4. Freshman designated hitter Lenin Gomez (Edison, NJ/Edison) (Edison, N.J./Edison) doubled for the 10th time this season.
 
Junior left-handed pitcher Tyler Folger (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) started and took the loss (0-4) in one-third of an inning. Sophomore righty Corey Nase (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South)  threw 3.2 quality relief innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts (two walks). Senior righty Joe Stone (Metuchen, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Piscataway, N.J./John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin), the fifth Gothic Knight to throw, surrendered just one hit and one run with a strikeout in 2.0 innings.
 
TCNJ got all the offense it needed in the first inning when Persichetti walked, Shindler reached on an error and both scored on two-run single by Gearhart. Nase came in as a reliever and struck out the next two batters.
 
NJCU never seriously threatened against Cirillo. Lindsay delivered a two-run single in the fifth and Anderson's two-run single in the sixth made it 6-0. Shindler added an RBI single in the eighth. TCNJ outhit NJCU, 10-4, in the opener.
 
Game 2: New Jersey City 6, The College of New Jersey 4
Ortiz entered the game in the fifth and his right arm helped the Gothic Knights achieve a win they've waited 20 years for. He fired 4.2 innings of five-hit baseball, allowing a run and one walk over 87 pitches to handcuff the Lions and preserve NJCU's early lead. He improved to 3-0 on the season.
 
NJCU's two starting Nicks led the offense as sophomore shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs while senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck) drove in two runs (1-for-4). Freshman left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) walked twice and drove in a run (1-for-2, one run).
 
Sophomore righty Anthony Carfora (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South), pitching for the first time since April 9 after overcoming an extended illness, started and threw the first 4.1 innings. He allowed three runs and only four hits with two strikeouts (three walks) over 77 pitches.
 
Persichetti went 3-for-3 with one run while Lindsay batted 2-for-3 with one run. Sophomore first baseman Tommy McCarthy (Allentown, N.J.) finished 2-for-4 with one RBI.
 
Sophomore righty Michael Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) lost (5-2) for the Lions, allowing five runs and eight hits in 6.0 innings. He walked five and struck out three over 115 pitches.
  

Nick LoGatto batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs in the win.

After Persichetti led off the first inning with a triple and scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead, NJCU countered in the second when it scored four runs on three hits—all with two outs. Senior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) doubled and LoGatto singled to tie the game. After Born was hit by a pitch for a school record 28th time in his career and Feehan walked, Ruscingno delivered a two-run single to left for a 3-1 advantage and Feehan came around for a third run on a throwing error at the end of the play.
 
Single runs in the fourth and fifth innings allowed TCNJ to draw within one run. Shindler led off the fourth with a double and scored on a groundout. A sacrifice fly in the fifth made it 4-3.
 
But NJCU answered in the sixth and seventh. LoGatto led off the sixth inning with a single, Born reached on a bunt single and a sacrifice fly by Feehan made it 5-3. After Ortiz stranded two TCNJ runners on the corners in the sixth, senior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) walked, senior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Colonia, N.J./JFK Memorial-Iselin) was hit by a pitch, and a sacrifice fly by LoGatto pushed across a critical insurance run for a 6-3 lead because Lindsay led off the eighth with a single and scored on an RBI single by McCarthy.
 
In the ninth, the Lions got the leadoff man on before Ortiz sealed the historic win with two infield pop ups and a ground ball.
 
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:
Head Coach Jerry Smith: "We tried to keep things positive between games. We just focused on what we did well [pitched] and what we needed to do better [make routine plays]. The first game really came down to three two-run singles with second and third and one out. In the first two of the innings we had an error to set the table, whereas they played a clean game. If we matched that we knew we had a good chance. In the end we were able to do just that in game two. Carfora and Ortiz threw well, we had four runs with two outs, and we did a good job extending. As for the [losing] streak and now having a win over each opponent, we are happy for the seniors. It's well deserved and hard-earned. But our focus always remained consistent. Win the game, inning, and pitch in front of us. Simplifying the game gives us a chance each time we take the field."
 
OF NOTE:

• Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) notched his 145th career hit to continue in 12th place in school history in 128 games. Next on the list: Charlie Auletto, 148 hits, 1993-95.
• Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) did not have a hit and with 96 is still 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))
• Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) now has 116 career hits in 123 games and lists 28th in school history.
• Senior second baseman Taylor Born (South Plainfield, NJ /South Plainfield) (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) was hit by a pitch for the second 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 28 times in his career.
• Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) played his 125th and 126th games for NJCU (107 hit, 36th place).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU plays St. Joseph's College (LI) on Tuesday, April 25 (7 p.m.) at the St. Joseph's Outdoor Complex in East Patchogue, N.Y. The Golden Eagles are 21-10 overall and in second place in the Skyline Conference at 13-3. They are 10-3 at home.
 
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