HOBOKEN, N.J. (April 12, 2022) – Senior Ryan Finegan delivered a go-ahead single in the sixth, graduate student Hunter Silvernail homered one inning later and the Stevens Institute of Technology baseball team defeated New Jersey City University 4-2 in a non-conference matchup at Dobbelaar Field.

Sophomore Christian Kreiser had two hits and graduate student Thomas Paulich and first-year Evan Pravato each had RBI groundouts for the Ducks, who improved to 21-9 on the year.

Mitchell Leslie had three hits and Ali Pompey had an RBI single for the Gothic Knights, who fell to 8-17. NJCU has lost eight straight.

"A big one for us to get today," head coach Kristaps Aldins said. "Our outfield defense shined and a couple of hard 90's from Christian Kreiser and Ryan Finegan really made a difference in the outcome of the game. Mark DeCicco, Anthony Pron and Jacob Buurman were all solid on the mound, keeping things close and then holding off some late rallies from NJCU."

Junior Anthony Pron (6-3) threw four scoreless innings out of the pen to earn the victory. The Mullica Hill, New Jersey native allowed just three hits and struck out in relief of Mark DeCicco, who allowed an earned run on three hits and struck out four over 2 1-3 innings. Jon Taylor (0-2) allowed two runs over six innings to take the loss. The NJCU right-hander also spent time in the field at second and third base after completing his time on the mound.

The contest was the Ducks' next-to-last out-of-conference game. To date, the team is 13-5 in games outside of the MAC Freedom, including a 6-3 mark against teams from the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the most wins against the conference in any single season under Aldins.

"This also marked our last NJAC opponent of the regular season," Aldins reflected. "To come away with a 6-3 record is indeed something to be proud of. Over the years, we have used the NJAC as a barometer. Our results versus these teams give a pretty clear indication as to where we are as a program."

Tied at 1, the Ducks scratched across a run in the sixth to jump in front for good. Senior Sutton Dole was hit by pitch to start the two-out rally. Kreiser with a single after the second-year player hustler down the line after hitting a soft comebacker to the pitcher. After fielding the ball, Taylor did not throw over to first, and instead slowly jogged it over to the base, but Kreiser, who immediately hustled out of the box, beat Taylor to first by at least a half-step. The hit extended the inning and Finegan capitalized, stroking a 1-2 pitch into left field for his 22nd RBI of the season.

Silvernail connected for a solo blast to right and Pravato drove in Finegan with a groundout in the eighth after Finegan took advantage of a pair of Gothic Knight errors.

Pron made short work of the NJCU lineup, retiring eight straight before a one-out single in the seventh ended his day. Sophomore Jacob Buurman took over and allowed an unearned run over the final 2 2-3 innings to pick up his fifth save.

The Ducks put a clamp on the Gothic Knights' running game, with the Ducks nabbing three baserunners. Junior Ben Tobio and Paulich each stole a base.

Up Next: Baseball resumes MAC Freedom play on Friday, Apr. 15, when the Ducks head to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to open a three-game series with Wilkes. The Ducks took three of the four meetings between the teams last season.

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