Knights Conquer Rangers in Non-Conference Tilt

Box Score    
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (March 31, 2011) - New Jersey City University (4-12) picked up its third win in three seasons over Drew (5-12-1) with a 16-5 win at Thomas A. Gerrity Athletic Center. The Knights racked up 16 runs on 18 hits, both opponent highs this season.

It was the Rangers who capitalized early, scoring two runs in the top of the first for a 2-0 lead. Knight starting pitcher, T.J. Janho walked the first two batters Coury Napier (Chester, Conn./Valley Regional) and Chris DelMaestro (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough). The next batter, Steve Debonis (Hamilton, N.J./Nottingham), delivered with an RBI single to center for his sixth RBI of the spring. Delmaestro came around later in the inning on a two-out single by Matthew Kaplon (Palisades Park, N.J./Palisades Park).

The Knights would respond in monumental fashion, posting six runs in the bottom half of the first inning, forcing Drew starter Ben Lynch (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) out of the game after just two thirds of an inning. The Knights sent 11 batters to the plate and strung together six hits in their first at bat.

The Rangers were blanked for the next five turns at the plate while the Knight offense was just getting started. NJCU scored the next nine runs of the game in the next four innings to put the game well out of reach for the Rangers. The Knights put together another six-run inning in the third and were quickly up 13-2.

The Knights 6-9 hitters were responsible for seven runs, 10 hits, and 11 RBI. Jorge Gutierrez had a game-high four RBI to go along with two hits and three runs scored for the Knights.

The Rangers loaded the bases in the ninth inning and scored two runs on a Neil Cashes (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional) RBI ground out and a Justin Mancini (Haskell, N.J./Lakeland Regional) RBI single to to right. Reliever Dan Blum (Cambridge, Mass./Prospect Hill Academy) pitched 3.2 innings of scoreless relief for the Rangers, striking out three and walking one.

The Rangers will return to conference play as the host Juniata college in a three-game set at Doc Young Field beginning on Saturday. Game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00.