WINTER HAVEN, FL (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Sophomore left-hander Zack Markle (Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken) allowed just two hits in 4.2 innings of relief to claim his first collegiate victory and four different Gothic Knights collected two RBIs as the New Jersey City University baseball team scored nine times in the sixth inning and rolled past Lesley University, 12-2, in a game called after seven innings on day four of the 2012 spring baseball trip played at Chain of Lakes Park Field #5 on Tuesday morning.
NJCU improved to 3-2 overall and 3-1 on its eight-day stay at the Russ Matt College Spring Break Invitational. NJCU also won back-to-back games for the first time this year with the win over the Lynx. It was NJCU's first-ever meeting with Lesley (1-4).
While NJCU scored nine unearned runs off of four Lesley errors, the Knight's pitching staff continues to perform, now with a .204 opposing batting average and an overall ERA of 2.30 after five games.
First-year head coach Jerry Smith said: "I'm happy with the way the boys are playing and it's all about getting better each day and I think we're doing that. I think we have a long way to go. But I think since game one when we opened up with Centenary until now we're a much better team already and that's only been about a week's work. If we continue to progress how we are, I think by season's end we'll be a much better team."
Markle, who made 11 appearances in relief as a rookie in 2011 without a decision, and never threw more than 2.0 innings, more than doubled that length as a middle reliever on Tuesday. In 4.2 innings, he tossed only 52 pitches, allowing a pair of singles with one walk.