JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The Gothic Knights have become the Walkoff Knights and this time it was freshman Steven Ramos (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy)'s turn to be the hero. The New Jersey City University baseball team had just three hits in the first six innings and was losing 4-0, but scored twice in the seventh and eighth innings to tie it. Then, after a one-out double by senior second baseman Jeff Reinecke (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) (Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex), Ramos made a plate appearance for the first time since April 11 and deposited a long walkoff single to deep center with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that No. 29 Rowan University could not catch as NJCU stunned the Profs, 5-4, in the opener of a New Jersey Athletic Conference home-and-home series on April 27 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
Steven Ramos was the hero, with his first base hit since April 8,
his first ever hit at home, and his first RBI since March 8.
NJCU produced its fourth walkoff win of the season, defeated a nationally ranked team for the third time this month and second time in a week and stayed alive in the postseason race, improving to 16-16 overall with its fourth win in a row and fifth in six games. The Gothic Knights are now 5-10 in the NJAC and have 10 points—one win back of Montclair State, Stockton and William Paterson for the final berth in the league tournament, with three conference games left. Kean is in fifth place with 14 points (7-8).
Rowan fell to 25-12 and 9-6 in the NJAC with the loss while its three-game winning streak ended. The Profs had won the previous six one-run games they had played since April 9. NJCU is 4-4 in one-run games this season with all four victories culminating in walkoffs.
Junior first baseman Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) (Bridgewater, N.J./Middlesex) singled on the first pitch he saw in the game in the second inning to become the 43rd member of the 100 hit club in just his 81st career game and 77th start, and the third NJCU player to reach the milestone this year. He joins current players and senior center fielder Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) (Teaneck, N.J./Teaneck), senior right fielder Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) and senior third baseman Zach Buchholz (Colonia, NJ/John F. Kennedy Memorial-Iselin) (Colonia, N.J./JFK Memorial-Iselin) on the list, with Coutinho and Buchholz etching their names this season.
After junior left-handed pitcher Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen) (Old Bridge, N.J./Saint Joseph-Metuchen) threw well for eight innings, limiting Rowan to just one run between the fourth and eighth innings, sophomore right-handed pitcher Jose Ortiz (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) (Perth Amboy, N.J./Perth Amboy) came on in the ninth and won in relief, improving to 4-0. He struck out the first two batters of the inning then after a double, picked off Rowan at second base.
Ramos, who was hitting just .152 on the season before the pinch-hit winner, was batting for the first time since a win over FDU-Florham on April 11. It was his first base hit since April 8, his first ever hit at home, and just the seventh RBI of his career. Meanwhile, it was just the third game in which he's produced an RBI and the first since March 8.
Other crucial hits were provided by freshman left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) (Point Pleasant, N.J./Point Pleasant Boro) with a big two-run single to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth after Coutinho got NJCU on the board with a two-run single in the seventh.
Feehan finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Berardi went 2-for-3 with an intentional walk. Coutinho had the two RBIs while senior catcher CJ Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) and senior second baseman Taylor Born (South Plainfield, NJ /South Plainfield) (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) each batted 2-for-4. NJCU outhit Rowan, 13-10.
Ortiz threw just 18 pitches in the victory. Ramirez struck out five and walked just one in an 8.0 inning no-decision. Over 131 pitches, he allowed four runs and nine hits, with most of Rowan's success coming in the first three innings before he settled into a groove.
In defeat, Rowan senior left fielder Jason Clapper (Mount Laurel, N.J.) batted 4-for-5 with three doubles and one RBI. Freshman center fielder Frankie Aiello (Wyckoff, N.J.) scored twice in a 2-for-4 effort. Also for Rowan, junior first baseman Joe Sadler (Holmdel, N.J.) provided two RBIs and freshman second baseman Alex Kokos (Wayne, N.J.) scored twice with an RBI triple.
Rowan senior righty Brad Machinski (Cherry Hill, N.J.), who entered the day 5-1 on the season, was cruising through six innings before NJCU got to him in the seventh and eighth innings. In a 7.1 inning no-decision, he struck out three (no walks), allowing three runs and eight hits over 82 pitches. Senior righty Rob Grilli (Middletown, N.J.), the closer, was 4-1 overall with three saves but suffered his second defeat, allowing two runs on five hits in 1.1 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
In the first inning, NJCU could not turn a double play and it cost them as Kokus, who ultimately reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a single by Sadler. Rowan added two runs in the third 
Bill Feehan's two-run single in the bottom of the eighth tied it, 4-4.
when Aiello singled and Kokus came through with a one-out triple to deep center for a 2-0 lead. A sac fly by Sadler pushed Kokus across for a 3-0 lead.
In the fifth, Aiello led off with a ground-rule double to left center before scoring on a double to right center for Clapper to build a 4-0 lead. Ramirez struck out five in the first 4.2 innings to keep the Knights within striking distance. NJCU had just two hits through five innings and when they did get on, Rowan turned two double plays.
NJCU did not threaten until the bottom of the seventh when it tallied two runs on four hits. Feehan and Ruscingno singled through the left side and Berardi followed with a single to right to load the bases with no outs. Coutinho followed with a single past the diving third baseman and down the line to score Feehan and Ruscingno to cut the deficit in half, 4-2. With runners on first and second, Reinecke crushed a ball deep to right before Rowan sophomore right fielder Michael Decker (Montgomery, N.J.) made a great catch near the fence, then fired to second base for a double play.
In the eighth, sophomore shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) (Helmetta, N.J./Spotswood) and Born singled with one out and a wild pitch pushed the runners into scoring position against Grilli. Rookie Joe Papamarkos (Lyndhurst, NJ/Paramus Catholic) (Lyndhurst, N.J./Paramus Catholic) pinch ran for Born and Feehan squeezed a two-run single up the middle to tie game the game, 4-4. A groundout prevented NJCU from going ahead in the inning.
Ortiz came on in the ninth in relief and struck out two batters, including Aiello, back to back. On a 3-2 count, Clapper doubled for the third time in the game to deep left center—a ground-rule knock—but after one pitch to Kokos, Clapper was picked off by Ortiz with LoGatto tagging him.
That led to the ninth inning rally. On a 2-2 pitch and one out, Reinecke doubled to deep center and Pulcine snuck a slow roller past the mound before narrowly beating out a throw from the Rowan shortstop. LoGatto was intentionally walked to load the bases and Buchholz struck out. Ramos pinch hit with two outs and on a 2-1 count crushed a pitch that carried to deep center field. Aiello laid out running towards the fence but could not catch it and Reinecke scored as Ramos was mobbed by his teammates on the right side of the infield after the remarkable comeback.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
NJCU, which plays at Rowan on Friday before hosting Rutgers-Camden (13-20, 4-11 NJAC, 10th place) on Saturday, has perhaps the most favorable schedule of the five teams vying for the NJAC's final bids.
- TCNJ and Ramapo are tied for first place at 12-3 (24 points).
- Kean hosts Rutgers-Camden before heading to No. 15/16 TCNJ on Saturday in Ewing, N.J.
- Montclair State, which was shutout by Ramapo, 2-0 on Thursday, hosts the Roadrunners on Friday before meeting Rutgers-Newark in a road doubleheader.
- Stockton hosts Rutgers-Newark before visiting Ramapo College on April 29 in Mahwah, N.J.
- Jose Ortiz struck out two and picked off a runner to end the ninth.
- William Paterson, which lost to TCNJ on Thursday, 2-1, hosts the Lions on Friday before Rowan comes to Wayne, N.J. for a home doubleheader.
QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:
Steven Ramos (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) and Mike Ramirez (Old Bridge, NJ/Saint Joseph-Metuchen) on Facebook Live: https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/10154826421999915/
Head Coach Jerry Smith: "I'm very proud of our whole team today. We have preached for years now a culture of ONE—our acronym for staying positive, never giving up, and effort. As in anything worthwhile, that was challenged along the way. Today, however, we lived it. Despite being down 4-0 in the seventh and not threatening to score in the first six, the guys remained poised and positive. And they continued to fight and chip away. The best part was having 33 guys in the dugout with intent for those eighth and ninth innings. The energy brought from Billy's [Feehan] game-tying hit, to Ortiz' two Ks and pickoff, all the way to Ramos' game-winning hit was a proud moment for our program. We are well aware tomorrow is a new day and when facing a quality program like Rowan it's going to take an equally good effort. We must remain focused on our next step. But as for tonight, let's enjoy this and remember how it feels."
OF NOTE:
- Nick Ruscingno (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck) notched his 146th career hit to continue in 12th place in school history in 128 games. Next on the list: Charlie Auletto, 148 hits, 1993-95.
- Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia)'s single was the 120th hit in 126 career games and moves him into a three-way tie for 23rd place in school history with Ray Nazzaro (1982-85, 120 hits) and Alex Mena (2007-10, 120 hits), while passing Rick Pizzuti (1997-99, 119 hits).
- Joe Coutinho (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) moved into 15th place in school history with 79 career RBIs.
- Dan Berardi (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) tied Alfredo Monagas (1979-82, 101 hits) and Jim Roselli (1986-89, 101 hits) on the career list.
- NJCU has now defeated NJAC-powers Kean, Montclair State, Rowan and TCNJ in the same season. Kean was ranked No. 25/25 when NJCU won in Union, N.J. on April 1 and TCNJ was #11/13 when NJCU prevailed, 6-4, on April 23 in Ewing—its first win over the Lions since 1997.
- NJCU last defeated Rowan in Jersey City, 9-5, on April 4, 2015. Rowan was ranked No. 30 at the time.
- The win was the first at home over a ranked team since NJCU shocked No. 1 ranked Kean, 5-1, on April 13, 2013.
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU heads to Glassboro, N.J. for game two of the home-and-home series on Friday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m. NJCU's last win at Rowan came on April 19, 2009, a 9-8 outcome.
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