May 19, 2007

Game One Game Two

WEST HARTFORD, CT - New Jersey Institute of Technology's Kwesi Mitchell belted home runs in each end of the Highlanders' Saturday baseball doubleheader split at the University of Hartford, raising his season home run total to a school-record 13.

Mitchell tied the record with a solo home run in the third inning of NJIT's 4-2 opening-game win and he broke the mark with a three-run blast in the first inning of the nightcap, eventually won by Hartford, 9-8, in 11 innings.

The senior right fielder's 13 home runs surpass the record of 12 that was set 24 years ago by Jim Tensfeldt in 1983. Mitchell's 40 runs batted in for 2007 are two shy of the school-record 42, set by Mike Turner in 2006.

The split in the last doubleheader of 2007 raised NJIT's wins total to 13 in its first season of competition at the NCAA Division I level.

NJIT won the opener, 4-2, behind the strong pitching of starter PJ Saporito and junior closer Cory Kuzmik. Saporito, a sophomore left-hander who has emerged this year as the staff ace, earned his fifth win of the season. He allowed just two runs and scattered seven hits over the first seven and a third innings, while striking out seven without a walk.

Kuzmik, also a left-hander, picked up his team-leading fifth save with 1.2 innings of scoreless, one-hit ball to close the win.

On offense, Mitchell and 2B Matt Schlitter picked up two hits apiece. Mitchell, Turner and Craig Binkiewicz each drove in a run apiece.

The Highlanders got all the runs they would need with three tallies in the top of the third inning. SS Miguel Lugo led off with a single, stole second and the scored on a single by Binkiewicz, who later stole second himself, went to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Mitchell added the third run on his record-tying homer.

NJIT scored its fourth run in the top of the fifth, with Turner hitting a sacrifice fly that chased home LF Derrick McCain from third base.

Hartford got its two runs in the bottom of the eighth on solo home runs by SS Brady Stouffer and 3B Bill Perry. Kuzmik came in after Perry's long ball and shut the door on the Hawks the rest of the way.

Perry finished the game 3-for-4 and RF Erik Price was 2-for-4. Senior RHP Zach Stefka (0-2) started and took the loss for Hartford.

Hartford won the second game, 9-8, as the winning run of the seesaw contest crossed the plate in the bottom of the 11th inning. C Chris Hebert led off Hartford's 11th with an infield single, giving way to pinch runner Jon Ricco, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.

The long day ended when Ricco scored on LF Andrew Dorman's one-out double that escaped a diving try by Binkiewicz in right center field. The game-winning hit was the first for Dorman in seven at-bats on the day.

Three Highlanders--Binkiewicz, Schlitter and Lugo--collected two hits each. Freshman RHP Spiro Molfetas (1-2), the fourth of four NJIT pitchers was the hard-luck loser, taking the loss of after yielding just the two 11th-inning hits and a run in four innings of work. He had retired eight straight batters before Hebert's infield hit to start the 11th.

For Hartford, Hebert, the senior catcher was 4-for-4 and 2B Ben Sobocinski, batting in the leadoff spot, was 3-for-6, with two RBI and two runs scored.

NJIT opened the nightcap with a bang, scoring three in the opening half inning on Mitchell's record-setting three-run shot.

Hartford got two runs back in the bottom of the second, before NJIT added a run in the third, as Schlitter doubled with one out, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a successful double steal with Mitchell.

The Hawks surged into the lead with three runs in the bottom of the third and then went up, 6-4, with a run in the fourth.

The Highlanders moved back ahead with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth inning. Lugo and Binkiewicz hit back-to-back doubles to open the frame, with Binkiewicz coming around thanks to two successive infield outs.

After another double steal by Mitchell and McCain that left McCain on third base, Turner reached on a fielder's choice, as McCain scored the third run of the inning.

Trailing, 7-6, after five and half innings, Hartford again knotted the score with a run in the sixth, only to half NJIT move back ahead in the top of the seventh.

The Highlanders took an 8-7 lead, as Binkiewicz walked to lead off, before Schlitter singled, advancing Binkiewicz to third, where he scored on McCain's sacrifice fly.

Hartford pulled back even in the bottom of the seventh, scoring one run and loading the bases with one out, before Molfetas came in to snuff the threat by getting two outs and stranding the three inherited runners.

Neither team got more than one base runner in an inning before Hartford put together the winning rally in the 11th inning.

NJIT, which has completed play in the Northeast, will close the 2007 season with a trip this week to Orem, Utah, for the annual Division I Independent Championship Tournament hosted by Utah Valley State. NJIT's four games are set to be played with one game each day Wednesday to Saturday. The first game is set for Wednesday at 3:30 pm mountain time vs. Northern Colorado.