April 8, 2008

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - NJIT played what was likely its most exciting baseball game of the season to date, extending Fordham to the limit before falling to the Rams, 13-10, late Tuesday afternoon at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

Trailing, 13-4, heading to the bottom of the eighth inning against Fordham (16-13), NJIT scored three runs in the eighth and sent the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, before settling for a three-run frame and the final 13-10 loss.

It was the second time in the game that the Highlanders clawed their way back into contention, having allowed Fordham to score three runs in the top of the first inning before tying the score at three on a run in the first inning and two in the third.

Fordham quickly snapped the 3-3 tie with a four-run third inning and then added another run in the fifth before NJIT got a run back in the sixth to make the score 8-4.

However, the Rams blew the game open again with five runs in the eighth to claim a 13-4 lead that proved to be not quite as comfortable as it first looked but sufficient to secure the win in the end.

The winning pitcher was Fordham freshman RHP John Flanagan (2-1), who worked six solid innings, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks.

The Fordham bullpen ran into trouble against the persistent Highlanders, but the team's closer, Chris Kaible, who was also the starting catcher came out from behind the plate to notch his fifth save of the season by recording the last two outs, the first of which came on an overly aggressive baserunning play by NJIT.

Sophomore RHP Chris Parenti (0-1) started and took the loss for NJIT, pitching into the third inning and allowing six runs (five earned).

Freshman RHP Anthony Corsi followed Parenti and went 5.1 innings, with a deceptive four runs allowed, three of which scored on a two-out, bases-loaded flare double down the left field line at the end of Corsi's stint in Fordham's five-run eighth inning.

NJIT's third and final pitcher, sophomore RHP Spiro Molfetas, was effective, allowing an unearned run in getting the last five outs.

Fordham's batting leader was CF PJ Como, who was 3-for-5, with three runs scored and four batted in. Six other Rams collected two hits apiece for Fordham, which banged out 16 hits. Two of them, 2B Eric Reese and Kaible, drove in three runs each.

The left side of the NJIT infield had a productive day at the play. SS Miguel Lugo was 4-for-4 and drove home three runs while scoring two. Freshman 3B Matt Marotta was 3-for-5, including his first college home run, a solo blast to left field leading off the bottom of the sixth inning.

C Chris Cardone was 2-for-4, with a double, a home run--his third of the season--three runs and two RBI. 1B Mike Turner also had two hits.

Down nine runs headed into the bottom of the eighth, NJIT scored three times in the eighth, as Marotta led off with a single and Cardone followed with a home run. Lugo later reached on a bunt single and scored on an opposite field double into the left field gap by pinch hitter PJ Saporito.

After one out in the ninth, the Highlanders loaded the bases, setting up a run-scoring single by Turner that made it 13-8. Rob Pietrocola then drove a pinch-hit RBI single and Lugo got an infield single that scored another run, but Fordham also got the second out on an ill-advised NJIT dash to the plate. Another Highlander pinch hitter, Rich Nazario, hit the ball hard to right field, where Fordham's Alex Kenney, who got good jumps all day, made the running catch to end the game.

NJIT, in the midst of a busy six-game homestand this week, will host Saint Joseph's (PA) on Wednesday at 4 pm in Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.