Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University (10-13) scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth to break a 0-0 tie and defeat New Jersey City (5-25) 2-0 in the first round of the NJAC Tournament. Marco Meleo (Freehold/Freehold Boro) provided the key blow with a two-run triple.
 
Stockton pitchers Phil DeMarco (Ocean Twp./Ocean Twp.) and Tyler Apt (Williamstown/Williamstown) combined for the shutout. DeMarco was efficient, throwing 94 pitches in eight scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing four hits and two walks for the win.
 
Apt tossed a perfect ninth inning with two groundouts sandwiched around a strikeout for his first save of the season. Stockton managed five hits on offense, with Meleo's triple the only extra-base knock by either team.
 
Pitching and defense were the order of the day for seven-and-a-half scoreless frames as DeMarco dueled NJCU hurler Justin Wiltsey. Meleo made a diving catch in centerfield while third baseman Ryan O'Sullivan (Lacey Twp./Donovan Catholic) made a sliding grab in foul territory and also ignited a 543 double play with a diving snag of a grounder.
 
The strong Stockton defense was offset by some slick fielding from NJCU shortstop Justin Moreno who finished with three putouts and six assists in the game.
 
John Perrino (Wall/Wall) reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the eighth and Dominic Meleo (Freehold/St. Peter's Prep) followed with a single. After the next two batters were retired, Marco Meleo crushed a triple to center field that scored Perrino and Dominic Meleo with the only runs of the game, both of which were unearned.
 
With the 2-0 lead, Apt came out of the bullpen in the top of the ninth and quickly retired the only three batters that he faced to seal the shutout. The save was his first of the season while DeMarco improved to 2-1 with the pitching victory.
 
NJCU's Wiltsey absorbed the hard-luck defeat despite allowing zero earned runs and fanning six in 7.2 innings pitched. Juan Pena reached base twice with a single and a walk. The Gothic Knights left eight runners on base in the contest.
 
Stockton moves on to the NJAC Tournament quarterfinals, where the Ospreys will play a best-of-three series at No. 1 seed Rowan University, which is ranked ninth in the D3baseball.com/NCBWA national poll.
 
The first two games will be a doubleheader at Rowan that starts at noon on Friday, If necessary, game three will be on Saturday at 2 p.m., also at Rowan.