TEANECK, N.J. - Johnathan Gomez's standout performance led FDU Baseball (5-6, 2-1 NEC) past the Manhattan Jaspers (6-8, 1-2 MAAC) on Tuesday afternoon in a high scoring 15-12 contest at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. 

Gomez got the Knights started the Knights offense, as he served as the first batter of the game, and led off the contest with a solo home run on an 0-2 pitch, to make the game 1-0 Knights in the first. Jeremy Cheeseman would add to the Knights total in the opening frame as he singled home Garryn Plummer to extend the Knights lead to two after the first game. 

Gomez and Cheeseman would not wait long to impact the game once again, as Gomez hit a two run home run that scored Travis Stroh in the second inning, then Cheeseman hit a solo homer to push the score to 5-0 FDU after the first three innings. FDU starting pitcher Neylin Navarro got through the first turn in the Manhattan order without surrendering a run. 

In the fourth inning, the Jaspers would crack Navarro in the top half, scoring two runs by way of a RBI double and a SAC fly to cut into the Knights lead. FDU then answered with a trio of runs, all coming on a bases clearing, three run double as FDU pushed the lead to 8-2. 

Gomez would make another impact in the fifth as he singled home Nick Quagliato for his third hit of the contest, and then in the same inning Urreta singled home Caleb Walker to make it an even ten runs for the Knights, and a 10-2 lead through the first five innings. 

Manhattan would not go away though, as the Jaspers scored the next eight runs of the contest, tieing the contest heading into the bottom of the eighth inning. Cheeseman gave the Knights the lead back with a go-ahead two run homer to give FDU a 12-10 lead.

The Knights weren't done in the bottom of the eighth though as Stroh doubled home Caleb Walker and Jeremy Delamota to push the lead out to four, and then Urreta walked with the bases loaded to give FDU a five run cushion heading into the top of the ninth. 

The Jaspers had one more punch to throw, as Manhattan scored two in the top half of the ninth and even had the tieing run come to the plate twice, but Knights reliever Evan Doyle was able to shut the door on Manhattan to win the contest by a final score of 15-12. 
 

WHAT'S NEXT

FDU will play game two of a ten game homestand tomorrow, March 11th against the Monmouth Hawks at Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. First pitch for the contest is set for 3 p.m.  Read Full Article