April 27, 2008

Game One Game Two

NEWARK, NJ - Sunday's doubleheader featured two of NJIT's stronger starting pitching performances of the 2008 season, but all the Highlanders had to show at the end of the day at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium were a pair of close losses, 3-2 and 4-1.

With Wednesday's previously scheduled home game postponed indefinitely, Sunday's games were likely the final home action of the season. NJIT honored its six seniors--Chris Cardone, Tyler Hamilton, Cory Kuzmik, Dan Morogiello, Matt Schlitter and Mike Turner in ceremonies between games.

Binghamton, which swept NJIT in another doubleheader on Saturday in Vestal, NY, held NJIT to a combined nine runs in the weekend's four games.

The low-scoring nature of both Sunday games left little room for error and it was errors that literally cost NJIT the 3-2 defeat in the opener, as two of Binghamton's three runs, including the game-winner in the top of the seventh inning, were unearned. Unearned runs were less decisive in game two, but they added to the pressure on Kuzmik, who threw 113 pitches in taking the complete-game loss.

Binghamton got strong six-inning efforts from both of its starters and hard-throwing closer Greg Lane worked 1-2-3 seventh innings in each contest to notch his sixth and seventh saves of the season.

RHP Murphy Smith got the win for the Bearcats in the opener, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and no walks with eight strikeouts in six innings before Lane pitched the seventh inning to secure Binghamton's 3-2 win.

Senior LHP Gio Yannuzzi got his first win of the season in the nightcap, scattering seven hits and allowing a lone unearned runs in six innings, setting the stage for Lane's second save of the day. Binghamton turned two double plays in the game.

NJIT's junior LHP PJ Saporito, the starter in the opening game, allowed just one earned run, but was tagged with the loss, as the last batter he faced, 2B Ryan James, who had singled with one out in the top of the seventh inning, stole second and then went to third base on an infield error on the next play, before a strikeout and then a two-out RBI 1B Ryan Holley.

NJIT reliever, LHP Matt Melody, inherited the baserunner from Saporito and struck out two of the three batters he faced after the error, but the extra out opened the door just enough for Binghamton to get the winning run.

Kuzmik, who spent most of the first three years of his career (he is NJIT's career saves leader, with 15), pitched his second career complete game (he also had one in his only start as a freshman in 2005). He allowed five hits and four runs (three earned), with three walks--all in the first inning--and six strikeouts.

The visiting Bearcats got 10 hits in the opening game, with Holley, the first baseman, going 3-for-4 and driving in all three Binghamton runs. DH Tom Baileys was 2-for-3.

NJIT got six hits in the first game, led by Turner, the senior first baseman, who was 2-for-3 in the game, raising his hits total for the first three games of the weekend series to six. Morogiello and Cardone, two more seniors, each drove in a run for the Highlanders.

In game two, Binghamton got two more hits from Holley (2-for-3) and a 2-for-3 game from C Jeff Skelhorne-Gross. The other Bearcat hit was a solo home run by James with one out in the top of the seventh inning.

NJIT, which had seven hits in the nightcap, got 2-for-3 games from freshman RF Dom Hayes and Schlitter, the senior designated hitter. SS Miguel Lugo drove in the only Highlander run with an infield single in the second inning.

Binghamton opened the day with an unearned in the top of the first inning, but NJIT bounced back to take the lead with two runs(one earned) in the bottom of the second inning. After an out, Turner and Rich Nazario singled, with an outfield error on Nazario's hit sending both men up a base to third and second, respectively.

Morogiello then hit a sacrifice fly that scored Turner and advanced Nazario to third, where he came home on an RBI single by Cardone.

NJIT's 2-1 lead help up into the fifth inning, SS Ryan Klee singled with two out in front of a double into the left field gap by Holley that tied the score, 2-2.

In the top of the seventh, NJIT's Saporito got the first out before James singled for Binghamton. Melody then came on in relief and James stole second. LF Joe Charron then reached first on an infield error, as James moved up to third base. Melody struck out Klee, but Holley's single to center field pushed James home with the go-ahead run before Melody struck out 3B Brian Ivan.

Binghamton opened the second game with a run that came on the combination of Kuzmik's only three walks in the contest, plus one of two times he hit Klee with a pitch.

NJIT drew even with a run in the second inning, as Cardone reached on an error leading off and Schlitter singled. After an out, CF Ricky Petrosino walked to load the bases and Lugo hit the ball hard into the third base hole, where Ivan made a nice stop knocking it down, but he threw wide to second base trying to get the force out and Lugo had the infield single.

The Highlanders, who left the bases loaded that inning, could not score any more in the game.

The Bearcats took the lead for good with two runs (one earned) in the top of the fourth inning that included two hits, an NJIT error and a passed ball. James homered for an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning.