BROOKLYN — The New Jersey City University baseball squad opened its 2024 campaign at a special location this afternoon, Saturday, Feb. 24, as the Gothic Knights hosted SUNY Brockport out on Coney Island at Maimonides Park, which is home to the Brooklyn Cyclones, High-A minor league affiliate of the New York Mets. NJCU impressed against the Golden Eagles, using strong pitching and a first inning offensive outburst en route to the 6-3 victory.

Junior right-hander Andre Dean (Bloomfield, N.J./Bloomfield) earned the opening day start and eventual victory for the Gothic Knights (1-0), making his return to the mound for the first time since 2022. Dean was dominant throughout, holding Brockport (0-1) hitless through 3.0 and finished with a line of 5.1 innings tossed, one earned on three hits with seven strikeouts. After he mowed his way through the top of the first, his offense got to work in the home half.

Rookie right fielder Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial) led off with a single to right in the first at-bat of his career. After he moved to second on a groundout, Ricourt and freshman first baseman Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) ended up on the corners following the latter's infield single to third. Junior catcher Nick Vaughn (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) broke the scoreless tie next with one-run single. Another infield single, this time from sophomore designated hitter Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing), loaded the bases for fifth year left fielder Bryan Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial), who knocked in another run. Senior second baseman Justin Moreno (Brooklyn, N.Y./Trenton Catholic) broke it open next with a two-run double to the gap in right before rookie center fielder Ray Gelok (Clifton, N.J./Passaic Tech) closed out the scoring with a sac fly to right, making it 5-0. 

Both pitchers then cruised through the next 4.0 innings, bringing us to the top of the sixth. To start, Dean put runners on the corners before a double steal that scored a run and a one-out walk ended his afternoon. Fifth year right-hander Berto Reyes (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth) entered in relief to save the day, however, closing out the inning with a groundout and strikeout in back-to-back at-bats to preserve Dean's line and maintain the four-run lead. 

The seventh saw senior right-hander Ali Pompey (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) enter in relief and make quick work of the Golden Eagles, with three up-three down, including a strikeout. The home half then saw NJCU extend its lead back to five. Gelok led off with a walk and was moved over via a sac bunt courtesy of sophomore shortstop Arian Lunar (Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth). Ricourt continued his strong debut next with a run-scoring double to the gap in left, plating his fellow first year Gothic Knight to make it 6-1. Pompey worked around a pair of walks to start the eighth and got through the inning unscathed. 

The Gothic Knights nearly added on more offensively in the home half of the eighth, getting runners of second and third with one out, but Brockport worked out of the jam. Then, the top of the ninth saw the Golden Eagles make it interesting. A pinch-hit, one-out double, followed by a couple of walks, loaded up the bases before another walk forced in a run to make it 6-2, chasing Pompey from the game. Freshman right-hander Ricky Del Rio (Edison, N.J./St. Thomas Aquinas) came in next with a save opportunity on the line. His first pitch was a near-double play, allowing one run to score on the fielder's choice to short but getting the out, as well. He then got the game's final batter to line out hard to Fernandez in left, sealing the deal, as well as his first-career save in the win. 

Highlights:
- Ricourt finished 3-for-5 with a RBI double and a run.
- Beltra was 2-for-5 with a run scored.
- Vaughn notched a 3-for-5 day at the plate with a run, a RBI and a stolen base. He also had a big-time caught stealing behind the plate to end the top of the fifth.
- Yarson was 2-for-3 with two walks and a run.
- Fernandez was also 2-for-3 with a walk, a sac bunt, a run, a double and a RBI.
- Gelok was 1-for-3 with a run, a RBI, a walk, a sac fly and a stolen base.

Up Next:
NJCU will look to take this momentum on the road when the squad travels to Madison, N.J., on Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 27, for a 2:30 p.m. first pitch at FDU-Florham.