Fischer Improves to 5-0 in America East Starts as NJIT Cruises to 8-2 Win Over UMBC

Ryan Fischer took the mound for the fifth time in America East Conference action this spring and improved to 5-0 in those starts as the NJIT baseball team cruised to a 8-2 victory over visiting UMBC at Jim Hynes Stadium.

The Highlanders (15-13, 9-4 AE) scored the first five runs of the game and relied on their ace to defeat UMBC (14-19, 5-8 AE) for the ninth-consecutive time.

Fischer went six innings on Friday evening and allowed just one earned run while striking out three and walking just one. The junior is now 6-2 on the season with a 3.81 ERA and boasts a 2.18 ERA in 33.0 innings of America East action. Joe Georgini took over from Fischer in the seventh and allowed just one run over the final three frames to earn his second save of the season and third of his career.

The NJIT offense was balanced in the win as seven different Highlanders recorded a hit, including Jared Donnelly, who had a pair. David Marcano returned to the lineup after missing Tuesday's win at Rider and singled in the fifth inning to extend his hitting streak to 19 games.

NJIT got on the scoreboard first with three runs in the bottom of the second. Paul Franzoni led off the inning with a triple and was driven home by Isiah Daubon before Nick Hussey roped a two-run single to add to the early lead. The Highlanders struck again in the fourth inning with a pair of runs, including another RBI from Hussey, this time via a sacrifice fly. 

UMBC finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth, but NJIT answered immediately with three more runs to go ahead 8-1. The three-run rally was started by the Highlanders eight and nine hitters, Donnelly and Ray Ortiz. Both Donnelly and Ortiz reached base safely three times in the win.