SOURCE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2018/4/21/201804-21_BASEBALL_vs_TCNJ.aspx

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University (17-14, 5-8 NJAC) baseball team had a 6-3 lead over the best pitcher in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and was three outs away from defeating The College of New Jersey at home for the first time since 1989. But nationally No. 12/12 ranked and first-place TCNJ (22-6, 10-3 NJAC) rallied for four runs in the top of the ninth to stun the Gothic Knights, 7-6, before senior right-handed pitcher Brandon Zachary (Cherry Hill, N.J.) tossed a complete-game four-hit shutout in a 7-0 win in the nightcap, as the Lions swept an NJAC doubleheader on April 21 at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.

In the opener, TCNJ senior righty Joe Cirillo (Fairfield, N.J.) entered the day with a 4-1 record, 1.77 ERA, and a .217 opposing batting average, striking out 29 while walking only two batters and hitting three in 40.2 innings. But NJCU was able to get to the reigning NJAC Pitcher of the Year, whose season totals doubled as he walked two and hit three batters in the game. Cirillo ended up being the winner (5-1), striking out eight while giving up six runs (five earned) and 10 hits over 114 pitches in 8.0 innings. NJCU's 10 hits were a season-high against him.

The Lions managed to take advantage of a pair of breaks in the top of the ninth and scored four runs on five hits before senior righty Matt Curry (Marlton, N.J.) closed out the bottom of the ninth with his sixth save.

In game two, the Lions scored three times in the top of the first and that was more than enough for Zachary who became just the second pitcher to throw a shutout against the potent NJCU offense this year. Zachary improved to 5-0, scattering four hits over 118 pitches, while striking out nine and walking one.

The Lions had 17 hits in game two and won on a day where they stranded an unwieldy 18 runners on base.

Junior right fielder Danny Borup (Plainsboro, N.J.) was a combined 6-for-11 in the doubleheader and senior shortstop Zachary Shindler (Wantagh, N.Y.), the reigning NJAC Player of the Year, combined to go 4-for-9 with three RBIs in two games.

GAME 1: The College of New Jersey 7, New Jersey City 6

TCNJ scored three times in the second inning, then didn't score again until breaking the hearts of the Gothic Knights in the top of the ninth. NJCU tied the game with two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, went ahead with two seventh-inning tallies and added insurance with a single run in the eighth, but couldn't hold the lead.

NJCU was led by junior right fielder Juan Pena who drove in three runs, batting 3-for-3 (1 run). Junior second baseman Tom Pulcine batted 2-for-4 (1 run) and junior catcher Jan Castellano scored twice (1-for-2). Junior shortstop Nick LoGatto drew two walks (1-for-3, 1 run, 1 RBI) against a pitcher who had walked only two all season.

TCNJ had an 11-10 edge in hits, led by Borup who was 3-for-5 (one RBI) while sophomore left fielder Jacob Simon (Hightstown, N.J.) batted 3-for-4 (1 run, 1 RBI). Shindler was 2-for-5 (1 run, 1 RBI), junior second/third baseman Ryan Fischer (Robbinsville, N.J.) had two RBIs and senior designated hitter Patrick Anderson (Long Valley, N.J.) scored twice.

NJCU used four pitchers. After junior righty Sean Gibney opened the first 2.0 innings, junior righty Kyle McCabe threw 3.0 no-hit innings in the third, fourth and fifth innings, and eventually went 3.2 innings before allowing a two-out single to Simon. In what initially was a big spot in the game in the sixth inning, TCNJ loaded the bases with two outs against McCabe with a previous walk and a final hit batter. Senior righty Dan Foley entered the game in relief and got Fischer to ground into a force to third.

Foley threw 2.2 innings of relief, heading into the ninth inning with the lead, before running into a jam. Senior left-handed pitcher Kyle Kafer ultimately took the loss (3-3), allowing the seventh run in 0.2 innings.

GAME 1 NOTABLE PLAYS:

• In the second inning Anderson walked and Simon was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Fischer doubled to deep left for a 2-0 lead. Borup fouled off five straight pitches before singling up the middle to score Fischer and make it 3-0.
• Cirillo allowed just one base runner and no hits through three innings. LoGatto led off with a walk on a 3-2 pitch—just the third walk all year given up by Cirillo. Pena gave NJCU its first hit and got the Knights on the board with a double that split the left-center gap to make it 3-1. Senior first baseman Dan Berardi lined a single through the left side to score Pena from second and make it 3-2. Berardi was caught stealing before senior designated hitter Mike Ramirez singled to right for the third hit of the inning. Pulcine singled to second for the fourth hit of the inning before a 5-4-3 double play ended the threat.
• McCabe got a big out in the top of the fifth. With two runners on and two outs, he got Shindler to fly out to center.
• In the fifth, Castellano was hit by a pitch and Cirillo then walked LoGatto for the second of the game after walking only two all year. Pena slipped a two-out RBI single through the left side to tie the game, 3-3.
• In the seventh, Borup led off with a double to left. After an error extended the inning, Foley got a groundout to end the threat.
• In the bottom of the seventh, NJCU surprised the Lions, going ahead, 5-3. Castellano singled off the glove of the diving third baseman and sophomore left fielder Bill Feehan launched a double down the right field line that nearly cleared the fence. LoGatto singled the next pitch the opposite way to right to knock in Castellano for a 4-3 lead. On an 0-2 pitch, Pena singled to center to make it 5-3, as NJCU scored twice on four hits in the inning.
• In the eighth, Simon doubled with one out. A fly out to left and a check swing strikeout of Fischer with two outs ended the threat.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Pulcine led off the eighth with a double down the right field line. A ground ball back to Cirillo resulted in an error on a fielder's choice when his throw went into center field. Junior center fielder Jesse Kraft laid down a perfect bunt up the first base line with runners on the corners for a 6-3 lead.
• In the ninth, Borup hit a mile high pop that fell in front of junior third baseman Matt Corsi, losing the ball in the sun and wind. After TCNJ got that break, it received another when NJCU nearly turned a double play, but the throw to first bounced.
• With one out in the ninth, Shindler doubled to right center to make it 6-4 with the first TCNJ run since the second inning. On an 0-1 pitch, senior third baseman Austin Lindsay (New Egypt, N.J.) followed with a double to left center to make it 6-5 and put the tying run on second. Anderson doubled over the head of Pena in right—the third consecutive double for the Lions. Lindsay did not score, having to hold up to see if the ball was caught. It didn't matter. Junior first baseman Tommy McCarthy (Allentown, N.J.) tied the game with a sacrifice fly to left. With two outs, Simon slipped an 0-2 pitch up the middle to score Anderson and TCNJ roared back with four runs to grab a 7-6 lead.
• Curry hit Pena to open the bottom of the ninth but coaxed a ground ball double play and a strikeout swinging to seal the win.

GAME 2: The College of New Jersey 7, New Jersey City 0

TCNJ notched its fourth shutout of the season behind the effort of Zachary. The Lions left runners on in all nine innings, two or more six times and the bases loaded twice.

Lindsay led the Lions attack, as he reached base six times—batting 4-for-4 (1 run, 1 RBI) while walking twice. McCarthy barred 3-for-5 with two RBIs, Borup scored twice while hitting 3-for-6 and Shindler had two RBIs in a 2-for-4 showing. All nine players in batting order had at least one hit.

Feehan, LoGatto, Berardi and Pulcine all singled against Zachary and Feehan walked once. NJCU committed four errors in the loss. NJCU used four pitchers; junior lefty Anthony Zicaro went the first 6.0 innings and suffered the loss (2-4). Kraft played incredible defense in center field, making two web gem quality catches—an airborne catch in the gap in right center and an over-the-head leaping catch running towards the fence.

GAME 2 NOTABLE PLAYS:

• TCNJ scored three times in the first. Borup singled to leadoff and was sacrificed to second before scoring on a single by Shindler. Lindsay singled and Anderson was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. McCarthy lined a single off the pitcher to knock in Shindler for a 2-0 lead. When the ball changed direction, a throwing error advanced the runners but Berardi got to the errant throw and gunned down Lindsay at the plate. An excuse-me swinging-single to the pitcher by Simon knocked in Anderson for a 3-0 lead.
• LoGatto singled with one out in the first and was sacrificed to second before Zachary had a great move to pick him off second to end the opening frame.
• In the second, TCNJ loaded the bases with no outs. Shindler scorched a line drive to right center; Kraft made an incredible, leaping, mid-air diving catch in the gap to prevent the bases from clear. It became a line out and a sac fly. A 5-5-3 double play by Corsi at third against Anderson with the bases loaded got NJCU out of further trouble.
• The Lions added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to pad the lead, including a bases loaded walk in the seventh and added another in the ninth on a two-out single by McCarthy.
• NJCU's best chance to break up the shutout came in the bottom of the ninth. Feehan singled with one out—the first NJCU hit since the fourth inning—and was balked to second base before Zachary got a lineout and strikeout to end it.

NOTABLES:

• NJCU's last home win over TCNJ came on April 23, 1989 when then-Jersey City State swept then-Trenton State College, 8-1 and 8-5.
• TCNJ is ranked No. 12 nationally by both D3baseball.com/National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).
• Dan Berardi upped his career totals to 147 hits and 92 RBIs.

UP NEXT:

• After having its NJAC game with Montclair State University rained out on Thursday after both teams had arrived at the field, the teams will make it up on Sunday, April 22 at 11:30 a.m. at the Gerrity Complex.

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