The New York University Violets (13-20, 5-15) hosted The City College of New York Beavers (15-17, 8-2) at the Staten Island University Hospital Community Park on Friday, May 1.
NYU scored its most runs of the season powered behind
Kosta Mocklis' eight RBIs (tied program's record shared by
Nate Pallotta '25 and
Jonathan Iaione '18) as the Violets cruised to a 19-4 win. The graduate student also hit his 22nd career home run which broke NYU's home run record previously set by
Nick Argenziano '25 and
Colman Hendershot '19.
If there's one player who has earned the right to swing on a 3-0 count, it's Mocklis, who homered in the bottom of the first as NYU took a 2-1 lead. Mocklis, coming off a multi-homer game, hit his 10
th of the season, and tied the program's home run record with the 3-0 swing.
The Brewers scored three runs in the following inning to briefly take a 4-3 lead, but
CJ Franchini knocked in Mocklis in the bottom half of the frame to even the score. NYU quickly regained its lead later in the inning thanks to an
Aidan Howladar two-run single.
Mocklis remained hot in his next at-bat, batting in another run to give NYU insurance in the third. The Violets scored a combined another four runs in the fourth and fifth as they now held a comfortable 11-4 lead.
With the game already in NYU's control, Mocklis walked to the plate with bases loaded and did what Mocklis does— hit home runs. The grand slam marked Mocklis' third of the year as he rewrote history.
NYU's defense kept CCNY's offense scoreless after the second inning, using five different arms to hold the Brewers at four as the Violets walked away with their eighth non-conference win of the season.
Notable Stats:
- NYU has won four consecutive non-conference games (last non-conference loss: March 21, against Purchase College)
- Mocklis is tied for first in the UAA in home runs (University of Chicago's Erik Rinder also has 11)
- Franchini has registered at least one hit in 18 of the last 20 games
- Howladar has had at least one RBI in four of the last five games
Up Next:
The Violets will play their last game of the season on the road in Willimantic, Connecticut against Eastern Connecticut State (24-12-1, 10-4) on Sunday, May 3. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm.
