Box Score 1 | Box Score 2


ABILENE, TX—NJIT got into the win column for 2014 in a big way, upsetting powerful Central Arkansas in 10 innings, 7-5, before falling in a close game, 6-5, against host Abilene Christian Sunday in the second day of Abilene Christian's Al Scott Memorial Baseball Classic at ACU's Crutcher Scott Stadium.
 
On Saturday, having been kept indoors even for practice in snow-plagued New Jersey, the Highlanders went outdoors in Texas and lost to Central Arkansas, 17-7, and Abilene Christian, 10-1.
 
With the completion of NJIT's games on Sunday, the Highlanders own a 1-3 record, while Abilene Christian was 5-1 and Central Arkansas was 2-4. CAU and ACU both went 2-1 in the tournament, while NJIT was 1-3.
 
The magnitude of NJIT's win over Central Arkansas rises from the fact that the Bears finished 2013 with 42-22 record, advancing to the NCAA Tournament Regional final, where they fell to host Mississippi State after going 3-1 heading into the championship elimination game.
 
Central Arkansas, which had trailed NJIT on Saturday, 7-0 through four innings before exploding for 17 runs after that, trailed the Sunday rematch 5-2 through 7 innings. The Bears scored two in the eighth and one in the ninth to force extra innings, but this time it was the Highlanders who had the final answer, plating two runs in the top of the 10th and then getting a scoreless bottom half from winning pitcher Austin McAuliffe (1-1) to secure the win.
 
The Highlanders got three hits in the top of the 10th inning, with one scoring on a wild pitch that brought home freshman CF Jesse Uttendorfer, who had singled earlier and the second marker coming in on an RBI-single by 1B Tom Bouck.
 
NJIT had 13 hits in the contest, with the middle infield combo of 2B Bryan Haberstroh and SS Mike Rampone each knocking out three hits. Rampone had a double for the only extra-base hit for the Highlanders. Bouck drove in two runs, as did LF Rex MacMillan.
 
Central Arkansas managed seven hits, including two doubles and a triple, with CF Doug Votolato, who had one of the doubles, going a team-best 2-for-5. 1B Nate Ferrell drove in a pair of runs for Central Arkansas.
 
McAuliffe, a redshirt senior LHP for NJIT, pitched 1.1 innings and allowed a hit and a walk on his way to winning the game. Having pitched just one inning in receiving an injury hardship waiver in 2013, McAuliffe had struggled in his 2014 debut and took the loss in relief vs. Central Arkansas before bouncing back a day later against the same team.
 
The NJIT starter, RHP Alex Daniele, pitched six innings, allowing three hits and five walks, but held the Bears to two runs, despite the traffic on the bases. Tyler Kapp and Brian Sondergard also worked in relief ahead of McAuliffe.
 
Central Arkansas used four pitchers and the third, junior RHP Chris Caudle took the loss, allowing three hits and two runs while recording one out after taking the mound to begin the 10th innings.
 
The teams had traded runs in the second inning before the Bears went up 2-1 on a run in the bottom of the fifth. But NJIT scored two in both the sixth and seventh innings. However, the 5-2 lead didn't hold, as Central Arkansas got two back in the eighth and then the tying run in the eighth.
 
The first Highlander run came on a sacrifice bunt by MacMillan and the rookie drove in the next NJIT run when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the sixth. The second run of that inning came home when Rampone, who had singled, scored from third on an infield double play.
 
In the seventh inning, Bouck and Rampone each drove home runs with singles.
 
After getting within a run of the lead on a two-run eighth inning, Central Arkansas pushed across the tying score in the ninth when RF Tyler Langley hit a one-out triple and scored on a two-out infield single by pinch hitter Chris Townsend.
 
NJIT, which lost decisively to Abilene Christian on Saturday, 10-1, very nearly made it a double-rebound day, but fell short against the host team, 6-5. The Highlanders took a 5-3 advantage into the bottom of the seventh inning against the Wildcats, but Abilene Christian tied the score with a pair in the bottom of the frame and then scored what proved to be the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Winning pitcher Kevin Sheets (1-0) worked the last four innings and nailed down the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including two strikeouts. He allowed 4 hits and 2 runs, striking out seven and walking none. The ACU starter, freshman Austin Lambright, pitched the first five frames, allowing 3 hits and 2 runs, while striking out six and walking two.
 
The loss went to NJIT freshman LHP Jake Yanez (0-1), who allowed two hits and a run in 1.1 innings of relief. The Highlander starter, senior RHP Matt Coughlin took a no-decision in 6.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned) and 3 walks, while striking out one.
 
With nine hits as a team, Abilene Christian got two each from C Seth Spivey and CF Tyler Eager. Pinch-hitter Heath Beasley and 2B Gunnar Buhner each doubled for the Wildcats. SS Aaron Draper knocked home two runs.
 
NJIT got two hits and two runs batted in from RF Matt Weckerle, who hit a triple. DH DJ Roche also tripled for the Highlanders and Rampone hit a double.
 
Down a run after the first inning, the Highlanders scored two in the third frame, the first coming home on a Weckerle single and the second, unearned, crossing during a double play.
 
Roche led off the fourth inning with a triple to right center field and later scored on a two-out wild pitch.
 
The home team pulled back even with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but the Highlanders claimed a 5-3 lead in the seventh on a run-scoring triple by Weckerle, who scored two batters later on Rampone's double.
 
With Coughlin tiring, Abilene Christian touched him two hits and two runs, one unearned due to a Highlander error and the score was knotted at 5-5 through seven frames.
 
The Wildcats brought home what would be the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. LF Taylor Walters hit a one-out single and after another out, Beasley, the pinch-hitter came through with a double for the game-winning run batted in.
 
NJIT, which will continue playing south of New Jersey until a mid-March tournament at Fairleigh Dickinson, is slated to visit Coppin State in Baltimore for three weekend games. A 1 pm doubleheader is slated for March 1, followed by a single game a day later.