Jersey City, NJ –Stockton University (11-5, 1-1 NJAC) began conference play by splitting a doubleheader at New Jersey City (9-5, 1-1). Two Osprey pitchers combined on a 1-0 shutout in the opener before the Gothic Knights downed Stockton 13-7 in the nightcap.
Starter
Ray Hughes (Forked River/Lacey Twp.) dominated NJCU with nine strikeouts while allowing just five hits and two walks during seven scoreless innings to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Tyler Apt (Williamstown/Williamstown) did not yield a hit in the last two innings, registering one strikeout and one walk to complete the shutout for his third save of the season.
Austin Gonella (Beachwood/Toms River South) slugged his second home run of the year, a solo blast in the seventh inning that proved to be the only run in the 1-0 triumph. Gonella finished 2-4 with his homer counting for a run and an RBI.
Brendan Doherty (Middletown/Middletown North) also went 2-4 in the game.
NJCU got a runner to third base with nobody out in the third inning but Hughes retired three straight batters to keep the game scoreless. That was the only runner that Hughes or Apt allowed beyond second base. Gonella homered on an 0-2 pitch with one out in the top of the seventh for the run that proved to be the difference.
Doherty went 2-3 with a double and two RBI while Gonella was 2-4 with an RBI in the nightcap.
John Perrino (Wall/Wall) and
Garrett DeMarrais (Oradell/River Dell) also knocked two hits apiece. The Ospreys outhit NJCU 16-14 but committed five errors that led to four unearned runs.
New Jersey City built an 8-0 lead in the first four innings and Stockton never got closer than five the rest of the way. Doherty doubled in two runs in the fifth frame to get the Ospreys on the board.
Alex Klalo (Toms River/TR North), Gonella and
Jeff Schick (Marlton/Cherokee) each rapped RBI singles in the seventh stanza to make it 11-5.
Freshman
Justin Schaff (Toms River/TR North) led off the eighth inning with his first career home run, a solo blast, and
Joe Pipher (Brick/Brick Memorial) later walked with the bases loaded for an RBI that brought home Stockton's last run of the 13-7 setback.
Stockton's next game will be an NJAC contest on Thursday, April 4 at home against Kean University at 3:30 pm.