OLD WESTBURY, NY (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University rookie left-hander KRIS FELLIN (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) had a magnificent performance, blanking SUNY Old Westbury for eight innings to make three early runs stand up as the Gothic Knights opened the northern portion of its 2014 schedule with a 3-0 shutout victory over OW on March 20 at the Jackie Robinson Athletic Complex.
NJCU (2-8) snapped a six-game losing streak, sending the Panthers (3-12) to defeat in their home opener. NJCU played flawless defense in front of Fellin and scored twice in the first inning and once more in the second for all the offense it would need.
Fellin claimed his first collegiate win (1-2) as he scattered just five singles in 8.0 innings of work, striking out five versus five walks over 117 pitches while picking off three runners in the decision. He allowed just three hits through the first six innings and struck out the side in the second inning on a combined 14 pitches, including back-to-back batters swinging.
Junior right-hander KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) entered the game with no outs and a man on in the ninth before earning a nine-pitch, three-out save—his second of the season—including an important double play.
"We have a lot of respect for the Old Westbury program," praised third-year head coach Jerry Smith. "They came in at 3-11 but when you dig deeper, they played two games versus [No. 3] Southern Maine [2013 national runner-up] and two games versus Ithaca [2013 national semifinalist]. They challenge themselves early and we knew we were in for a good program. We did our research and felt Fellin was the right guy to go and he did a good job. He got in front of batters and he controlled their running game which is a big part of what Old Westbury does. They had five steals but we had three pickoffs and two caught stealing mixed in."
"There are some things you can teach as a coach but for him [Fellin] to be that poised and that competitive at that age is good to see. He went pitch-for-pitch, kept competing and stayed under control and poised. It was also out best defensive effort to date. The outfield did a good job getting reads on balls and the infield played well."
READ MORE: http://www.njcugothicknights.com/news/2014/3/20/03-20-14_BASEBALL_at_Old_Westbury.aspx