CONEY ISLAND, N.Y. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University's baseball swiped a single-game school record nine stolen bases and used its speed to win for the seventh time in eight games, defeating Baruch College, 7-4, in a non-conference game at MCU Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, on March 26. The Gothic Knights scored twice in three different innings to account for the most of the run production.
NJCU (7-4), had 11 hits, led by senior center fielder Jesse Kraft (Nutley, NJ/Saint Mary-Rutherford), who batted 4-for-5 with three runs, one RBI, a triple and double and was on base five times (one walk). NJCU put up a pair of runs in the first and third innings to jump out to a 4-0 lead. Baruch fell to 3-7.
The nine steals equal the most on record in the program's 71-year history, with reliable data available since the 1970s, and all three instances of nine steals have come on the road. On March 28, 2007, NJCU swiped nine bags at Farmingdale State and also picked off nine at Lehman on April 11, 2006. NJCU won all three games. Five different Gothic Knights had a steal.
Senior shortstop Nick LoGatto (Helmetta, NJ/Spotswood) batted 2-for-4 with three runs, two steals and one RBI while junior right fielder Juan Pena (Perth Amboy, NJ/Perth Amboy) had four steals in the win. Pena and senior second baseman Matt Corsi (Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) each had two hits and one RBI, as four Gothic Knights had multiple hits. Senior third baseman Tom Pulcine (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) walked twice.
On a day where the entire pitching rotation was predetermined, sophomore right-hander Gavin Niland (Paramus, NJ/Paramus Catholic) opened for five NJCU pitchers and went 2.0 scoreless innings, to claim his second win (2-0).
Freshman righty John Pudder (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) continues to lock down the closer role, tossing a 1-2-3 ninth inning to notch his second save of the season.
Junior righty Ian Ambrose (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) allowed two runs and two hits (one walk) in 2.0 innings. He handed the ball to sophomore righty Jason Rivera (Clifton, NJ/Clifton), who went the next 3.1 innings, allowing a pair of unearned runs and four hits, fanning one. Senior lefty Kyle McCabe (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) struck out one batter in two-thirds of an inning of relief.
Sophomore shortstop Nicholas Valeriano (Bellmore, N.Y.) and freshman left fielder Angelo Alessandro (Whitestone, N.Y.) each had two hits for Baruch while sophomore third baseman Liam O'Gara (Mineola, N.Y.) drove in two runs. Senior catcher Gerardo Roque (Corona, N.Y.) walked twice. Junior righty Angel Acevedo (Valley Stream, N.Y.) took the loss, going 2.1 innings. He gave up four runs and four hits with four walks and two Ks.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- NJCU scored twice in the top of the first. Pulcine walked and stole second and scored on a one-out RBI single by LoGatto. After a bunt single by Pena, he and LoGatto stole second and third, Corsi walked to load the bases and freshman first baseman Ricky Voss (Eatontown, NJ/Monmouth Regional), the two-time New Jersey Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week, aired out a sacrifice fly to right for a 2-0 lead.
- NJCU nearly added another run in the second. Pulcine again walked, this time with two outs and tried to score on a double down the right field line by Kraft but was thrown out at the plate to end the frame.
- In the third, LoGatto led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on an error that allowed Pena to reach. When Pena stole second, LoGatto came home on a subsequent throwing error for a 3-0 edge. Pena followed with a steal of third and scored on a fielder's choice.
- Baruch cut the deficit in half with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a leadoff single and a two-out walk, O'Gara doubled home two runs with a ball down the right field line.
- Baruch had the tying runs on base in the bottom of the sixth after a one-out single and a two-out hit by pitch before O'Gara flew out.
- NJCU collected to more runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead to 6-2. Kraft tallied his second extra-base hit of the game—a one-out triple to right—before scoring on a wild pitch to extend the margin to 5-2. LoGatto walked with one out and Corsi doubled to left center to knock in LoGatto for a 6-2 cushion.
- Baruch got single runs back in the seventh and eighth—both runs unearned . An RBI single by freshman right fielder Steven Patterson (Miller Place, N.Y.) cut the deficit to 6-3 after seven innings. Alessandro doubled to lead off the eighth and scored on a dropped fly in center (6-4).
- NJCU added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Kraft singled with one out, stole second and scored on an RBI single by Pena. Baruch went down 1-2-3 in the ninth.
UP NEXT:
NJCU will host its final game prior to the start of NJAC play this weekend when it welcomes SUNY Old Westbury to the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex at 3:30 PM on Thursday, March 28. Watch live on #GothicVision at www.NJCUGothicKnights.com/GothicVision or live stats https://njcugothicknights.com/sidearmstats/baseball/summary.
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