April 20, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - Brady Stouffer's one-out solo home run broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh inning and visiting Hartford led the rest of the way for a 5-3 baseball win over NJIT Sunday afternoon at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

Stouffer's towering shot to left field was the first of two runs in the inning for Hartford, which pulled back on top a half inning after NJIT had tied the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Reliever Pete Moraski, who actually relinquished his team's 2-0 lead to NJIT, was credited with the win, working the last four innings and allowing three hits and three runs (two earned), with four strikeouts and a walk. Moraski, a senior left-hander, is 3-1 on the year.

Hartford starter Kyle Perry, a sophomore right-hander, did not figure in the decision, despite blanking NJIT on two hits through the first five innings.

Junior LHP Rob Pietrocola (0-5) started and took the loss for the Highlanders. He pitched 6.1 innings and allowed four runs on seven hits, with a walk and two strikeouts. Senior LHP Cory Kuzmik worked the last 2.2 innings for NJIT and was charged with a run on two hits, while walking one and striking out four.

Hartford got nine hits paced by RF and leadoff hitter Adam Bowser, who was 3-for-4, plus a sacrifice fly, with three runs batted in. Stouffer was 2-for-4 , including the big home run. Hawk LF Andy Drexel was 2-for-2 with a walk and three runs scored.

NJIT got its five hits from five different batters--SS Miguel Lugo, LF Craig Binkiewicz, RF Dom Hayes, DH Matt Schlitter and C Chris Cardone. Hayes and Cardone each doubled, while Binkiewicz hit a triple. Hayes, a freshman, accounted for both NJIT runs batted in.

Hartford got its first run in the third inning, as Drexel led off with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on Bowser's sac fly. NJIT got a leadoff double from Cardone in the bottom of the frame, but he was stranded at third base.

The Hawks went up 2-0 in the top of the fifth, starting with a leadoff single from Stouffer, who went to second on a sacrifice bunt and then third on a fly out, before Bowser stroked a two-out RBI single to left field.

The Highlanders, who struggled to score against the starter Kyle Perry, pulled even in the sixth against the reliever Moraski.

Lugo led off with a single and advanced to second on a bunt, before scoring on Hayes' double into the left center field gap. After stealing third on the third strike of a strikeout, Hayes scored NJIT's second run thanks to a two-out passed ball.

With the score tied at two, Hartford answered almost immediately, starting with Stouffer's one-out tiebreaking homer. The Hawks added another run in the seventh on a bases-loaded fielder's choice, as Bowser slid safely into second, beating the throw and escaping the force out on a ground ball to third base.

NJIT pulled back to within a run in the eighth inning, as Binkiewicz led off with a triple and then scored a ground out by Hayes. But Bowser doubled home another Hawk run in the top of the ninth and Moraski retired the Highlanders in order to secure the Hartford win.

The Highlanders will return to action Tuesday at 7:30 pm, when they host Saint Peter's at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

The location and time represents a change from the original NJIT schedule, as it was originally set to be played at Saint Peter's on Tuesday afternoon, but will now be played at night in Newark.