Jersey City, N.J. – The Mount Saint Mary College Baseball team had its valiant comeback effort cut short as the Knights dropped a 6-4 non-conference contest to New Jersey City University on Tuesday evening. Freshman Devin Tait (Staten Island, N.Y.) had a season-high three hit game in the defeat.

The Gothic Knights got on the board first in the bottom of the first after Mike Corsi drove in two with a double down the left field line following a two out triple by Nick LoGatto and a walk by Juan Pena. A bases loaded hit by pitch of Leo Colon pushed the third run of the inning across.

NJCU tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the second when Pena singled home Jesse Kraft and Corsi doubled for the second straight at bat to knock in Pena from first.

The Mount struck for three runs in the top of the sixth after Anthony Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) drew a walk with one out. Tait then singled for the second time in the game to give the Mount runners on first and second with one out.

A NJCU throwing error lead to Rizzo scoring from second and Tait went first to third. Nick Rizzo (Smithtown, N.Y.) came through with a pinch hit RBI single to cut the lead to three. Michael Doxey (Highland, N.Y.) followed it with a single of his own and Rizzo scored from first on another Gothic Knights error to cut the NJCU lead to 5-3 after the top of the sixth.

NJCU added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Tom Pulcine sacrifice fly to score Brandon Rivera to extend the lead to 6-3.

The Knights staged a comeback in the top of the ninth as Kevin Colgan (Islip, N.Y.) singled with one out. Anthony Franco (Franklin Square, N.Y.) followed it up with a double to put runners on second and third. Chris McLaren (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.) drove in pinch runner Liam Merlin (Reading, Mass.) on a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to two.

The threat was cut short after the NJCU catcher picked off a Mount baserunner at second base, giving the Gothic Knights a 6-4 victory.

Robert Brust (Shirley, N.Y.) took the loss for Mount Saint Mary. He threw just four innings, allowing five runs on five hits. Matthew Kozireski (Montgomery, N.Y.) tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen and Anthony Collura (Franklin Square, N.Y.) threw two innings, allowing zero earned runs.

Nate Facey earned the win for the Gothic Knights, throwing five and one-thirds innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and four hits. John Pudder picked up save for his third of the season.

Tait added a stolen base in addition to his 3-for-4 day, Franco was 2-for-4 with a double and Doxey also finished 2-for-4. Corsi finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles for the Gothic Knights while LoGatto added a triple and Kraft had a double.

Mount Saint Mary outhit NJCU 10-8 in the contest while the Gothic Knights had four extra base hits. New Jersey City committed four errors compared to the Knights one error.

At 8-8 overall, the Mount returns to action tomorrow afternoon against SUNY Oneonta. The contest with the Red Dragons is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.