LITTLE FALLS, N.J. — For the first time since 2019, the New Jersey City University baseball program defeated Montclair State University. The Gothic Knights took down the #17/18-ranked Red Hawks, 5-4, on Thursday afternoon, April 18, at Yogi Berra Stadium as senior righthander Ali Pompey (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Catholic) tossed a complete-game gem in the victory, allowing three earned with five strikeouts. Five wins in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play are the most for the Green and Gold since 2018.

The first inning was scoreless as both teams went down in order before NJCU (11-17, 5-6 NJAC) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second against Montclair (24-8, 6-5 NJAC). Freshman leftfielder Enrique Beltra (Monroe, N.J./Ranney) led off with a single to left and then fifth year centerfielder Bryan Fernandez (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial) doubled to right to put runners on first and second. A RBI groundout from sophomore designated hitter Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) made it 1-0 next before Fernandez crossed the plate on a passed ball. Pompey held the Red Hawks off the board in the home half, but Montclair tied it up with a two-out, two run double in the bottom of the third.

The fourth and fifth innings passed with neither squad scoring, but the Gothic Knights followed up with a big sixth, taking a 5-2 lead. Rookie rightfielder Jeremy Ricourt (Perth Amboy, N.J./JFK Memorial) led off with  double to right before senior third baseman Garrett Allo (Monroe, N.J./East Brunswick Tech) brought him home two at-bats later with a one-run single to center. With two outs, Fernandez was on second and Allo was on third after a double steal and Yarson smacked a two-run single to left, making it 5-2.

Pompey continued to deal, tossing a scoreless sixth. Montclair scratched across one run in the seventh on a two-out triple, making it 5-3. After a scoreless eighth, Pompey worked into and out of trouble in the bottom of the ninth to seal the complete game victory. The Red Hawks loaded the bases with one out following a gutsy intentional walk of the reigning NJAC Player of the Year. Pompey got the next two batters to fly out — the first being a sac fly to make it 5-4 — to end the game for the win.

Highlights;
- Eight Gothic Knights combined for NJCU's eight hits on the day, with Yarson's big bat collecting three RBI.
- Pompey drops his ERA to 4.17 on the season as he is now tied for the team lead with three victories. This was also the first complete game of his four-year career.

Up Next:
NJCU returns to the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex tomorrow afternoon, Friday, April 19, for a 3:30 p.m. game to close out the home-and-home regular season series against Montclair. The Gothic Knights have not swept the Red Hawks since 2011.