MAHWAH, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University scored three times in the top of the fifth to snap a 1-1 tie and added a pair of ninth-inning insurance runs as NJCU stayed alive in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament race with a 6-3 upset of Ramapo College in the opener of a two-day NJAC home-and-home series on April 24.
NJCU, which had dropped eight straight games with six of the defeats coming by two runs or less, snapped that skid, improving to 10-20 and 4-11 in the NJAC. NJCU, which must win its final four conference games and get some help, put a damper on Ramapo's playoff hopes (19-13-1, 5-9-1 NJAC). Each team had five hits in the game; Ramapo committed five errors.
Freshman left fielder ERIC GIORDANO (Metuchen, NJ/JFK-Iselin) was 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI, a double and walk and junior center fielder MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) batted 2-for-5 with an RBI to pull into a tie for 13th place in school history with 135 hits.Also for NJCU, junior right fielder ALEX WEINSTEIN (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) scored twice and had an RBI triple. Freshman designated hitter ZACH BUCHHOLZ (Colonia, NJ/JFK-Iselin) scored twice.
Junior right-hander KEVIN DEMAURO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) claimed the win (3-5) with seven strong innings, allowing three runs and six hits with four strikeouts and six walks. Freshman righty MARK PETRUCELLI (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Queen of Peace), who was making his 18th appearance on the season while pitching for the sixth game in a row, faced just four hitters, allowing one hit in the eighth inning.
Junior left-hander DELIO COUTINHO (Colonia, NJ/Colonia) threw a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including his 66th strikeout in just 48.1 innings, to record his first save of the season and second of his career.