JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University and The College of New Jersey battled back and forth for more than three hours with eight ties or lead changes occurring before the Lions scored twice in the top of the eighth inning and held off two final comeback bids by NJCU to outlast the Gothic Knights, 10-8, in the opening game of a two-day home-and-home New Jersey Athletic Conference series at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex.
NJCU (12-19, 1-10 NJAC), trying to defeat TCNJ (19-13, 7-4 NJAC) for the first time since 1997, outhit the Lions, 19-12, but stranded 11 runners as the visitors downed the Knights for the 29th consecutive meeting.
In defeat, freshman shortstop MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep), junior left fielder ANDREW RIVERA (Edison, NJ/Edison) and junior catcher ORLANDO BOLANO (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) each had four hits for NJCU.