April 28, 2006

Box Score

PHILADELPHIA - New Jersey Institute of Technology never trailed in its 8-7 Central Atlantic College Conference baseball win at Philadelphia University Friday afternoon, but the Highlanders weren't able to breathe easily until the last out of the hard-fought victory, either.

The Highlanders, 18-15 overall and 10-10 in the CACC, scored twice in the first inning and eventually grabbed a 5-1 advantage, but Philadelphia (11-31 overall and 8-16 in the CACC) pulled close with three runs in the bottom of the third.

NJIT answered the threat with a run in the fourth and went up, 8-4, on a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. However, the Rams drew back to within a run, scoring three in the bottom of the eighth to make it 8-7.

Philadelphia got two men on base in the bottom of the ninth, but sophomore Cory Kuzmik stranded them to notch his fourth save of the season. Kuzmik, a lefthander, and right-handed classmate Pete Rivera have combined for six saves, a high total in college baseball. Kuzmik got three of his five outs Friday on strikeouts.

Senior Chris Legiadre got the win for the Highlanders, raising his season record to 5-3 and his career wins total to 26, just three shy of the NJIT school record. Philadelphia's Andrew Bednarek (3-5) started and took the loss.

Mike Turner was 3-for-4, including a home run, and drove home four runs. Turner's fourth home run of the year was a two-run shot in the third inning. Turner's two-run single in the seventh accounted for NJIT's seventh and eighth runs.

Craig Binkiewicz rapped out two triples and was 2-for-4, with two runs scored. He is batting .456 on the season (41-90) and has four triples. Justin Racz also scored two runs and he, Derrick McCain, Rob Forbes and Dan Morogiello all collected an RBI apiece.

For Philadelphia, Keith Heck was 4-for-5, with two RBI, and Bill Geary was 2-for-5, with three RBI.

The two teams will continue the series on Saturday with a doubleheader in Newark at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium, home of the NJIT Highlanders. The pair of seven-inning conference games will open with first pitch at the special time of 10 am.