NJIT Completes Three-Game Series Sweep of UAlbany with Wild 12-10 Victory on Saturday

Published: Monday, March 28, 2022
Highlanders Have Now Won Four in a Row and Seven of Eight

The NJIT baseball team trailed 5-0 early and 10-9 late against UAlbany on Saturday, but the Highlanders came from behind and eventually earned a 12-10 victory to complete the three-game America East Conference series sweep of the Great Danes.

NJIT has now won four straight and seven of its last eight to improve to 10-9 on the season and 5-1 in conference play. The Great Danes, who came into the weekend with an impressive 11-5 record, are now 11-8 on the season and 2-4 in America East action. 

Albany looked to be in control early, scoring four runs in the first and another in the second to the aforementioned early 5-0 lead. 

NJIT had other thoughts, however, scoring eight times in the top of the third to go in front 8-5. The eight-run inning was spearheaded by a pair of hits from Julio Marcano, who doubled home NJIT's first two runs before recording an RBI single later in the inning. 

Jake Rappaport took the ball in the bottom of the third and threw three-consecutive shutout innings as the Highlanders added a run in the fifth on an RBI double from Albert Choi to make the score 9-5.

Rappaport, who opened Tuesday's win at Seton Hall with a pair of scoreless innings and threw a perfect ninth inning in Friday's game two win to earn the save, ran into some trouble in the sixth and the Great Danes were able to score three runs in the frame to get back within one, 9-8.

Joe Georgini came on to pitch the seventh for NJIT and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, to put UAlbany back in front.

The Highlanders responded immediately, however, with three runs in the top of the eighth to grab a 12-10 lead. The eighth inning runs came courtesy of sacrifice flies from Isiah Daubon and Nick Hussey and a pinch-hit single from Luke Longo. 

Georgini settled from there, pitching a perfect eighth inning and working around a two-out single in the ninth to preserve his first mound victory since 2019.

Choi finished 4-for-5 with a walk to pace the NJIT offense, while Julio Marcano was 3-for-4 with a pair of walks. David Marcano doubled in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, while Donnelly's third-inning double extended his hitting streak to eight. 

The Highlanders will look to continue their winning ways on Tuesday when they travel to Rutgers. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. at Bainton Field in Piscataway.