Box score

NEWARK, NJ—Rider built a 6-0 lead through four innings, but NJIT came back for five runs in the last two innings and kept the outcome in doubt until the final pitch of a 6-5 win for the visiting Broncs in non-conference baseball Wednesday afternoon at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
 
Although Rider (18-12) did not hit the ball especially hard in the early going, the Broncs managed either one or two runs in each of the first four innings. Rider scored twice each in the first and third innings and one run each in the second and fourth. However, three NJIT relievers combined to blank the visitors over the last four innings, enabling the Highlander hitters to mount a spirited comeback with three runs in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth, with the last out of the game coming on a well-struck ball toward the left center field gap.
 
Wednesday's matchup was the fourth game this season between NJIT and Rider and the Broncs took three of the four games. The teams split a doubleheader in Lawrenceville, NJ, on March 23 and Rider won a single game in Newark a day later and Wednesday's game wrapped up the non-conference season series.
 
The Rider starter, junior RHP Jerry Mulderig retired all nine batters he faced and was credited with his third win in five decisions under NCAA scoring rules that allow a starter to be the winning pitcher without pitching the typically-required five innings as long as the pitching usage is pre-determined and made known ahead of the game.
 
The Broncs, who have won five straight and 10 of the last 13, then used one pitcher in each of the last six innings to complete the win. The first four relievers combined to hold NJIT scoreless on two hits, but sophomore left-hander David Hafer was tagged for two hits, a walk and three unearned runs in the eighth inning. And the Rider closer, sophomore LHP Zach Mawson ultimately nailed down his eighth save of the campaign, but walked a tightrope in the process, allowing four hits and two runs in pitching the ninth inning.
 
NJIT (9-18) used four pitchers, with the starter, junior RHP Joe Fasano (0-2) pitching three innings and getting charged with the loss. He allowed five hits and five runs (four earned) with two strikeouts and no walks. Although only one run was unearned, Fasano pitched well enough to get a better result on another day, as the infield defense was not sharp behind him and a couple of the Rider hits were grounders that found holes and one of his five hits allowed was a bunt single.
 
The bullpen was terrific for the second time in as many games. On Sunday against Utah Valley, NJIT gave up nine runs in the first two innings, but relievers Frank Shivers and Zach Emmett each came in to give the Highlanders three shutout innings. Wednesday against Rider, Shivers, who missed all of 2012 following offseason shoulder surgery, made his second appearance of 2013 and allowed one run, but that was all in three more innings. The submarining junior Shivers surrendered two hits and walk, but also struck out three. Emmett, a sophomore right-hander pitched a scoreless ninth inning what was his second appearance of 2013, as well, and in between, freshman LHP Eric Moul blanked the Broncs on two hits and a walk while pitching the seventh and eighth innings.
 
Rider finished with 11 hits (a double and 10 singles), led by two hits apiece from starting catcher Eric Strano, 1B Justin Thomas, and OF James Locklear, who registered his team's double. Five different men had one run batted in each for the Broncs.
 
NJIT had eight hits, six of which came after the seventh inning. Freshman LF Jake Stern, who had struggled hitting earlier in his first college season, swung the bat well on Wednesday and finished 2-for-4, while also hitting the final out of the game hard to the outfield. He had NJIT's only extra-base hit of the day on an eighth-inning RBI double. The NJIT RBI leaders, with two each, were 2B Mike Rampone (1-for-3) and pinch hitter Teddy Bickert, who drove in both ninth-inning runs.
 
The Broncs opened the game with back-to-back singles for SS Mike Parsons and Strano, with Parsons scoring the first run on a ground out by the third batter, 3B Adam Wayman. The second run was unearned, as 2B Greg Fazio, who was hit by a pitch leading off and then stole second scored as a result of NJIT's second error of the game.
 
Rider added two more runs in the third inning, as 1B Justin Thomas and Fazio each poked run-scoring singles. Rider scored its final run in the top of the fourth inning, as Locklear led off with a walk and stole second base and then third base around a Bronc strikeout before coming in on Strano's single.
 
After being held scoreless on two hits through the first seven frames, the Highlanders finally broke through with a three-run bottom of the eighth inning on two hits, a walk and Rider's only error of the game. Stern doubled down the left field line to drive in the first run and Rampone singled with two outs to plate a pair of unearned runs. All of the action came after the first two NJIT batters were retired.
 
NJIT picked up two more runs and threatened to score more before falling just short in the ninth. Bickert, a senior who has been battling a wrist injury, pinch hit for his first plate appearance since February 24 at Oklahoma State. In his fifth at-bat of the season, Bickert singled with the bases loaded and two out, driving in the two runs. The next batter, Stern, who was 2-for-3 to that point, drove Mawson's pitch hard into left center field, but it hung up just long enough for Locklear, the retreating Rider left fielder, to get under the ball for the catch and the final out. 
 
NJIT is scheduled to play a four-game non-conference Great West Conference series this weekend against New York Institute of Technology. The series is slated to begin on Friday with a single 6 pm game at Bears and Eagles Stadium. With rain in the Friday forecast, the schedule may change. Schedule changes will be posted as they become available here on njithighlanders.com.