Peterson's Gem Guides Highlanders Past Maine in Series Finale

Brandon Peterson posted his best outing of the season so far, tossing 6.2 shutout innings while allowing just one base hit as NJIT baseball salvaged the final game of its series with Maine with a 2-0 victory.

How it Happened
Peterson was efficient early, setting down the first six hitters he faces over the first two innings. The third inning presented his first ounce of trouble, but Peterson was able to work around a walk and a hit by pitch to strand two runners on. NJIT's offense was stifled as well, with neither team scoring through the first five innings.

Peterson did not allow his first, and only, base hit until the sixth inning when a leadoff single gave Maine a baserunner with no outs. The junior was able to escape the inning once again and keep things scoreless.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Highlanders finally broke through. Ray Ortiz led off the frame by crushing a long home run down the left field line for his seventh round-tripper of the season. Later in the inning, Austin Francis poked an RBI single past the drawn-in infield to plate a second run.
 

Peterson got the first two outs of the seventh, but a two out walk brought reliever Nate DeSchryver into the ballgame. After escaping the inning, DeSchryver stranded a runner at third in the eighth to maintain the shutout. The Gonzaga transfer would toss a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his second save of the season.

Up Next
NJIT returns to action on Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Marist in non-conference action.