NJIT Completes Series Sweep of UMBC, Highlanders Have Won Five Straight

The NJIT baseball team swept a doubleheader from host UMBC for the second-straight day, defeating the Retrievers 7-5 in game one, before winning game two 14-6 to complete the four-game series weep.

NJIT (15-19, 14-14 America East) has now won five-straight games for the first time since 2018. UMBC's record now stands at 14-18 overall and 9-18 in America East action. The Highlanders are now tied with Binghamton for second place in the America East 'B' Division, with the top two teams in the division qualifying for the America East Playoffs.

Game One
The NJIT offense picked up where it left off on Saturday, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, with the big blow being a two-RBI double from Matthew Cocciadiferro.

NJIT's lead increased to 4-0 in the second inning when Jared Donnelly connected on his fourth home run of the season.

UMBC answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and then tied the game 4-4 in the fifth inning. 

Jake Rappaport entered the game in the fifth and was able to get the Highlanders out of the jam with no furthur damage.

Kevin Putsky came up big in the sixth inning with a two-run single to put the Highlanders back in front and later scored on a single from Donnelly to make the lead 7-4.

Rappaport did his job the rest of the way, allowing just one run in three innings of work. The senior, who has served as the team's closer this season, is now 5-0 with seven saves and a 2.08 ERA.

Donnelly paced the NJIT offense with two of the team's six hits.

Game Two
NJIT once again put up a crooked number in the first inning, this time scoring runs with the big blow being a two-RBI double from Luke Longo.

The Highlanders opened it up to 7-0 in the fourth before UMBC plated three runs of its own to make it 7-3. Kevin Blum put the Highlanders back in front by seven, 10-3, with his first home run of the season, a three-run shot.

UMBC was never able to get back within less then six as NJIT ultimately took the game by the eight-run margin.

Veteran starting pitcher Jared Kacso did his job, pitching well with the early lead to make sure the Highlanders stayed in front. Kacso went five innings on the mound to earn his second victory of the season.

Five different Highlanders had multi-hit games, including Longo and Blum, who each finished with four RBIs. Albert Choi and Julio Marcano capped off their impressive weekends with two hits each, as well.

On Deck
NJIT will travel to Stony Brook next weekend for a four-game series against the Seawolves. The squads will play a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday with first pitch scheduled for 12pm each day at Joe Nathan Field.