JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Reigning New Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Week and sophomore catcher ANDREW NIECH (Avenel, NJ/Colonia) was 2-for-5 with three RBIs, two runs, a solo homerun and double and NJAC Rookie Player of the Week and freshmen designated hitter DAN BERARDI (Bridgewater, NJ/Middlesex) was 4-for-5 for the second consecutive game as New Jersey City University scored six times in the bottom of the eighth inning and put away Baruch College, 9-2, in a non-conference baseball game at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex on April 1.
NJCU (6-8) won its fifth consecutive game and has now outscored its opponents a combined 48-6 since returning from Florida, while its red-hot pitching staff has not allowed more than two runs in any of the five outings. NJCU pounded out 15 hits and has produced 37 hits in its last two games. Baruch fell to 6-10.
NJCU led 3-0 after five innings, scoring single runs in the first, third and fourth frames, including a solo shot by Niech in the opening inning and a wild inside-the-park homer by junior third baseman MICHAEL MARTUCCI (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) in the third. Baruch cut the deficit to one with single runs in the sixth and seventh before the Gothic Knights exploded for six runs in the eighth on five hits, two walks and a hit by pitch, while sending 11 batters to the plate.
"This was the same game we played against Baruch last year and it was one we lost [6-5, walkoff hit] and couldn't hold on to," recalled third-year head coach Jerry Smith. "It was also similar to what happened to us earlier this year against Wesley [L, 2-3] and Oswego [L, 2-4]. It's good to see our guys creating separation late. Being able to extend the lead has been our problem and it was good to see that in the eighth inning so we can win these type of games."