March 7, 2008

Box Score

DOVER, DE - It took just seven innings for NJIT to post their second-highest run total in the Division I era, as the Highlanders slugged their way to an 18-11 win over Delaware State in a game shortened to seven innings by heavy rains Friday afternoon.

NJIT, which began competition at the Division I level last season, scored a 23-12 win over Long Island University on March 12. 2007 in Florida for what was the first of 15 wins in the program's debut season at the new level.

The Highlanders scored 13 in the 2007 season-ending Division I Independent Tournament and they scored 14 in this season's first win, a 14-4 triumph over Tennessee-Martin on February 24.

The starting time of Friday's game was moved up 90 minutes in an effort to avoid the soaking rains that were forecast for the Eastern Seaboard, but with a combined 29 runs, 24 hits, 14 walks, four hit batsmen and five errors, the first seven innings consumed four and a half hours and things came to a halt when the rain arrived.

NJIT scored four times in the first inning and never trailed, blowing the game open with six runs in the top of the fourth inning and adding eight more from the fifth to the sixth innings. Those eight runs proved to be useful when Delaware State reached the Highlander bullpen for four in the sixth and four more in the seventh.

NJIT's ace left-hander PJ Saporito got his first win of the season, starting and going five innings, while allowing four hits and three unearned runs. He struck out five and walked one. Two NJIT relievers combined to work two innings and give up eight runs, only four of which were earned.

Junior RHP David Langton started and took the loss for the Hornets, surrendering 12 hits and 12 runs (9 earned) in 4.2 innings.

Ten different Highlanders got hits in the game, paced by sophomore 3B Rich Nazario, who was 4-for-5. and SS Miguel Lugo and C Matt Schlitter, with two hits apiece.

Senior 1B Mike Turner had one hit for NJIT, but it was a big one--a two-out grand slam to center field that keyed the Highlanders' six-run sixth inning.

NJIT, which has played its first eight games away from home, began the contest with four runs in the top of the first inning. CF Craig Binkiewicz and Lugo opened the frame with back-to-back singles, before two outs set up a two-out, two-run single by senior 2B Dan Morogiello. RF Dom Hayes drove in another run and Nazario, who had singled for the first of his four hits, scored from third before Hayes was out on a caught stealing.

Delaware State got three unearned runs in the bottom of the second, as a two-out error opened the door for a rally highlighted by Ryne Scheiwe's double with the bases loaded that sent all three runners home.

The Highlanders clung to the 4-3 lead until the fourth inning, when they broke out for six more runs and a 10-3 lead.

Nazario led off the frame with another single and scored the first run on an RBI ground out by LF Tom Farina. Later on, Lugo hit a two-run double, Turner drove home a run and freshman 2B Matt Marotta doubled to right field for two more runs.

With rain expected to cancel Saturday's scheduled game, the teams will try to play again in a single game on Sunday at 1 pm