HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — The New Jersey City University baseball team got off the schneid today, Saturday, March 13, and picked up its first victory of the season, topping Centenary University 14-6. The highlight of the day for the Gothic Knights was sophomore pitcher Aaron Ayers (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan), who came in for NJCU in the fourth inning and tossed 5.2 scoreless to pick up the win, striking out 11 batters and allowing just one hit.

The Gothic Knights (1-3) started off hot against the Cyclones (0-1) and blew the doors open right away with a five-running first inning. Freshman designated hitter D.J. Dekis (Hazlet, N.J./Raritan) kicked it off with a groundout to the pitcher with bases loaded to make it 1-0. Sophomore rightfielder Justin Wiltsey (Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Hamilton West) then smacked a two-run double to left-center to make it 3-0 — he would later score on a passed ball. Freshman third baseman Nick Chiappisi (Toms River, N.J./Manchester Township) closed out the scoring with a double to right center to make it 5-0.

Centenary scored a couple in the home half, but freshman leftfielder Ali Pompey (Belle Meade, N.J./Trenton Catholic) made it 6-2 with a RBI groundout to third. The Cyclones scored an unearned run in the bottom of the second to make it 6-3. The top of the third started of with Wiltsey knocking a triple to the gap in right. Chiappisi brought him home two at-bats later with a groundout to short. Rookie centerfielder Elijah Colon (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat, then stole second and later scored on an error in left. Senior second baseman Brandon Rivera (Aberdeen, N.J./Matawan Regional), who reached on that error, scored from second on an error at first in the next at-bat to give NJCU the 9-3 lead. Junior first baseman Ricky Voss (Eatontown, N.J./Monmouth Regional) scored a run in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch to make it 10-3.

The Cyclones trimmed the lead to 10-5 in the bottom of the fourth, before Ayers entered in relief of senior Gavin Niland (Paramus, N.J./Paramus Catholic). Ayers allowed one more before the close of the inning, charged to Niland, as the inning closed at 10-6. The score remained the same until the top of the six when the Gothic Knights made it 12-6. Sophomore shortstop Jimmy Vizzoni (Hamilton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) drove home a pair with a two-out two-run double to center. Voss made it 13-6 with a two-out one-run single in the top of the seventh to make it 13-6. Wiltsey later made it 14-6 in the top of the eighth during a double steal attempt, which ended up being the game's final run.

Highlights:
- Junior catcher Sebastian Bellone (Matawan, N.J./St. John Vianney) finished 2-for-3 with two runs and a double.
- Voss finished 3-of-4 with a RBI, three runs, a walk, was hit by a pitch and stole three bases.
- Wiltsey was 2-for-3 with two RBI, three runs, a double, a triple, two walks and two stolen bases.

What's Next:
The Gothic Knights return to action on Friday afternoon, March 19, at 3:00 p.m. when they open up home play against Rutgers-Camden. Since New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play does not officially being until April, this will count as a non-conference contest.