Box score
WINTER HAVEN, FL—UMBC hit three doubles and scored twice to go ahead in the top of the fifth inning and then held off an NJIT rally in the bottom of the ninth for a 4-3 win Tuesday by the Retrievers over the Highlanders in the first game of NJIT baseball's Spring Break trip to Florida.
The game, played at Chain of Lakes Stadium, the former spring training home of the Boston Red Sox (1966-1992) and Cleveland Indians (1993-2008), was close throughout, with a tie, two lead changes and a suspenseful ninth inning.
NJIT got a run in the bottom of the first inning, UMBC tied the game in the top of the second and the Highlanders pushed back ahead, 2-1, with a run in the bottom of the frame.
The Retrievers scored twice in the fifth to go ahead to stay and added what proved a vital unearned insurance run in the top of the ninth for a 4-2 lead going into NJIT's last licks. The Highlanders managed a run, but could have had more if not for a line drive double play with two men on base and no one out.
The winning pitcher for UMBC was Michael Pesci (1-0), who worked the first five innings and was backed up by Samuel Bashioum, who went three innings before running into trouble in the ninth. The Retrievers used two more pitchers, including Luke Diblasi, who got the final out and recorded his first save of the year.
NJIT starter Austin McAuliffe took the loss, going five innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits. McAuliffe is 1-2 in four appearances (two starts).
DJ Roche, who is having a fine start to his college career, kept the Highlanders in the game, finishing up on the mound with four innings, allowing three hits and an unearned run, with five strikeouts and a walk.
Roche, like McAuliffe and most of the NJIT pitchers, a college freshman, was a position player more than a pitcher for much of his high school career. Roche has opened his college career with six relief appearances and a sterling 1.04 earned run average. He has allowed six hits and two runs (one earned) in 8.2 innings, with 11 strikeouts.
Sophomore RF Jeffrey Pizzi had three hits for the Highlanders, who also got two hits apiece from SS Vincent Del Vecchio and 2B Matt Tomczyk. Tomczyk, C Bryan Bleakley, and OF Teddy Bickert all drove in runs for NJIT, as well.
Pesci, the winning pitcher who also served as his team's designated hitter, got two hits for UMBC, as did C Rick Phillips and 3B Curtis Schickner.
NJIT got on the board when Del Vecchio singled with one out and Bleakley doubled to bring him home.
UMBC got an unearned run in the top of the second to pull even, but NJIT got that run back in the bottom of the inning when Pizzi led off with a double, James D'Aloia reached on an error attempting a sacrifice bunt, and Tomczyk singled to bring Pizzi home.
NJIT, which left a total of four men on base in the first two innings, maintained its 2-1 lead until the top of the fifth inning, when the first three batters doubled to give UMBC a 3-2 lead.
The Retrievers got their important fourth run, unearned, on a two-out passed ball in the top of the ninth inning.
The Highlanders put on the pressure quickly in the bottom of the ninth, as Petrone singled leading off and Del Vecchio walked, putting runners on first and second with no one out.
UMBC's Bashioum, who had worked three scoreless innings of relief, then gave way to David DiVita, who came in and was greeted by a line drive off the bat of Bleakley. However, the drive was caught by UMBC's first baseman, Max Himmelstein, who turned it into a double play.
With NJIT down to its last out, Bickert singled to drive home the third Highlander run and NJIT 1B Jeff Peterson walked to push Bickert into scoring position with two out. However, UMBC's DiBlasi entered and induced a fly out to center field to short circuit the NJIT rally and close out the save.
NJIT, which is 2-8 with two one-run losses to date, will take on Bradley at 11 am on Wednesday in Winter Haven.
