SOURCE: http://njcugothicknights.com/news/2018/3/18/201803-18_BASEBALL_at_Stevens.aspx
HOBOKEN, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Stevens Institute of Technology (6-8) scored twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to grab a 5-4 lead and neither school scored again as the Ducks outlasted the New Jersey City University baseball team (5-4) in a non-conference game on March 18 at Dobbelaar Field. NJCU lost its third straight one-run road game this week.
Tied 1-1 after two innings, each team scored a pair in the third inning and NJCU went ahead 4-3 in the top of the fifth on a two-out double down the left field line by junior right fielder Jesse Kraft (Nutley, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford), after both junior second baseman Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) and junior designated hitter Mike Albunia (Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic) singled.
The Ducks got a break in the bottom of the fifth. After the leadoff batter struck out and reached on a dropped third strike, junior Carlos Leon (Boca Raton, Fla.) doubled and senior first baseman Alex Detweiler (Sarasota, Fla.) slipped a two-run single through the left side for the go-ahead and ultimate winning runs.
NJCU did not have a hit after the sixth inning and Stevens junior left-handed pitcher Danny Poidomani (Rochelle Park, N.J.) notched a four-inning save by retiring the final 10 Gothic Knights to step to the plate—striking out eight of the 13 batters he faced. He allowed one hit in 4.0 innings without allowing a walk over 52 pitches.
Albunia led NJCU offensively, driving in two runs while batting 2-for-3 with a double and run scored. His two-out, two-run double down the right field line gave NJCU a 3-1 lead in the third inning.
Pulcine scored twice, batting 2-for-3 with a walk and junior shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) had two hits—his fourth multiple hit game of the season. Kraft was 1-for-2 with two walks and the RBI double.
Senior lefty Kyle Kafer (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) took the tough loss (1-1), throwing the final 5.1 innings. He struck out four and walked just two over 94 pitches, allowing one earned run and six hits. Stevens loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh with two singles and a hit batter before Kafer recovered to fire back-to-back strikeouts and a ground ball to get out of the inning. Junior Nate Facey (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) went the first 2.2 innings, allowing three runs and five hits with a pair of K's.
For Stevens, Detweiler was the biggest factor, batting 4-for-4 with three RBIs. In addition to his two-run single in the fifth, he tied the game at 3-3 in the third with a two-out single.
Junior left fielder Donny Gherardi (Oradell, N.J.) was 2-for-2 with two runs and two RBIs. Both hits went for extra-base hits—a solo homer to left field that put Stevens up 1-0 in the bottom of the first and a two-out RBI double in the third to drive in freshman third/second baseman Raymond Cortes III (River Edge, N.J.), who led off the frame with a double. Gherardi later scored the tying run in the third.
Stevens freshman right-handed pitcher Roy Iversen (Oak Park, Ill.) was the winner (1-0), striking out five against two walks in 2.1 innings of relief. He allowed a run on three hits. Senior 6-foot-7 lefty Andrew Hamel (Methuen, Mass.) started, going 2.2 innings and throwing 78 pitches. The Ducks had an 11-7 margin in hits in the game. Leon was the third player with multiple hits, batting 2-for-2 with a double and run scored.
NJCU tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning when Stevens walked the bases loaded with two outs and sophomore left fielder Bill Feehan (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) was hit by a pitch.
NOTABLES:
- NJCU is 1-3 in one-run games this season; its win was a 15-14 (10 inning) decision against Albion in Lakeland, Fla. on March 6.
- NJCU is 3-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer.
UP NEXT:
- NJCU is back on the diamond on Wednesday, March 21 (3:30 p.m.) when the Knights meet St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) at Calvert Vaux Park, Narrows Field Diamond No. 3 in Brooklyn, N.Y. The Bears are 0-11 thus far and lost their last 13 outings since 2017. Follow live stats: http://www.sjcbears.com/sports/bsb/2017-18/boxscores/20180321_i0kb.xml.
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