GRAND FORKS, N.D. (May 24, 2011) - Freshman Rob Cafiero (Bethpage, N.Y.) knotted the score and drove in the game-winning run that lifted NYIT to a 3-2 victory over NJIT in the first round of the Great West Conference Tournament at Kraft Field in Grand Forks, N.D.  

 

With the win, the Bears advanced in the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament and will battle the Wolverines of Utah Valley on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

 

The pitchers duel was won by rookie RHP Marcos Perez (Bronx, N.Y.). He tossed his third career complete game and struck out seven while surrendering just two runs on two hits. Perez improved to 5-4 on the season. The loss went to Mark Leiter (5-3), who struck out a game-high eight batters while giving up three runs on 10 hits.

 

The game-winner came in the seventh after three scoreless innings. Sophomore designated hitter Ali Rodriguez (Yorktown, Va.) was dealt a one-out walk and then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by NJIT's catcher D.J. Roche. Rodriguez was then driven home on a sacrifice fly from shortstop Cafiero.

 

The Bears jumped on the scoreboard first as a single from senior Eric Cos (Coral Gables, Fla.) plated GWC Player of the Year Effrey Valdez (Flushing, N.Y.) in the first inning. Valdez got on with a two-out double. However, NJIT responded in the top of the second with two runs that were unanswered by the end of the inning. 

 

The Bears trailed 2-1 for not too long as Cafiero knotted the score 2-2 with a solo home run in the third that bounced of the Kraft Field scoreboard in left centerfield.

About NYIT

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in more than 90 fields of study, including architecture and design; arts and sciences; education; engineering and computing sciences; health professions; management; and osteopathic medicine. A non-profit independent, private institution of higher education, NYIT has more than 15,000 students attending campuses on Long Island and Manhattan, online, and at its global campuses. NYIT sponsors 11 NCAA Division II programs and one Division I team.

 

Led by President Edward Guiliano, NYIT is guided by its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, offer access to opportunity to all qualified students, and support applications-oriented research that benefits the larger world. To date, 85,000 graduates have received degrees from NYIT. For more information, visit nyit.edu.

 

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