ASHEVILLE, NC—Yet another weather-driven change of venue led the NJIT and UNC Asheville baseball teams to head north from South Carolina and play on the Bulldogs' home field and the Highlanders prevailed Sunday, posting a 7-5 win to go 2-2 for the weekend and 3-3 for the season.
The original NJIT schedule called for the Highlanders to play a weekend series against UNC Asheville in North Carolina. However, the bad winter weather in February led to a change of plans, with a group of teams that had been displaced by the cold and snow to gather in South Carolina, where they were to play each other in a series of games at two sites.
As a result, the Highlanders played Delaware on Friday in Lexington, SC, and the Highlanders won, 5-2. Then they played UNC Asheville in the morning and Morehead (KY) State on Saturday in Sumter, SC. NJIT lost both games and was set to take on UNC Asheville back in Lexington, SC, on Sunday. Instead, the teams went to Asheville for the weekend finale.
Although the 7-5 final score Sunday was close, NJIT never trailed. The Highlanders got a run in the top of the first inning and then built a 5-0 lead by scoring two runs each in the fourth and fifth innings.
The Bulldogs came back with three in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to 5-3, but NJIT scored what would be two important runs in the top of the eighth inning for a 7-3 advantage. Those two eighth-inning runs took on added importance when they provided a cushion that helped the Highlanders survive when UNC Asheville scored twice in the bottom of the ninth inning.
NJIT freshman
Johnny Malatesta earned the win in his first college start, allowing three hits and just one run in five innings plus, while striking out three and walking two,
He was relieved by two pitchers, freshman
Justin Chin and redshirt senior
Tyler Kapp. Both relievers who had not previously allowed a run, had their roughest outings of the young season, but brought the Highlanders over the finish line,
Chin, who hadn't allowed a run in three innings over his first two appearances, allowed two runs in his one inning Sunday, but handed off to Kapp after the sixth inning with a 5-3 lead.
Kapp, who hadn't allowed a run in his two previous appearances over eight innings, finally gave up a pair of runs in Sunday's ninth inning. But he finished it off and earned the save, meaning he has gotten saves in all three NJIT wins, going at least three innings each time. His earned run average in 11 innings is a sparkling 1.64.
Joe Zayatz started and took the loss for the 4-6 Bulldogs, dropping his personal record to 0-3. Zayatz allowed seven hits and five runs (four earned) in five innings before giving way to a procession of four relievers, who combined to surrender two more runs to the Highlanders over the final four innings.
Seniors
Ed Charlton and
Mike Rampone had big days at the plate for the Highlanders. Charlton, the center fielder, was 3-for-5, with a home run, a double, three runs scored and two batted in. Rampone, the third baseman, was 2-for-4, with two RBI and a run scored.
Sophomore SS
Bryan Haberstroh continued his hot hitting for the weekend, going 2-for-4 with a run batted in for the Highlanders. After going hitless in four at-bats vs. Delaware, Haberstroh was a combined 6-for-12 in the three games Saturday and Sunday.
C Lucas Owens and DH Pete Guy each got a pair of hits for UNC Asheville, with Guy driving in two runs.
Charlton, the second batter in the game, got the Highlanders started with a one-out solo home run to left center.
The senior was also in the middle of the next two scoring innings for NJIT. He led off the two-run fourth inning with a single and scored on an RBI single by DH Stefan Halibej, who later scored an unearned run on a Bulldog fielding error.
In the fifth inning, Charlton's two-out double drove in a run and then he scored when Rampone followed with a single.
NJIT's Malatesta held UNC Asheville scoreless on two hits through five innings, but this early in the season coaches don't ask pitchers to throw a lot of pitches and when UNC Asheville got a leadoff single in the sixth inning it ended the day's work on the mound for the young Highlander.
The reliever Chin yielded a hit to his first batter, but got the next out. However, Kyle Towles singled to drive in the first Bulldog run and after Chin got out number two, Guy delivered a two-out, two-run single.
Kapp took over for NJIT to begin the bottom of the seventh inning and he retired Asheville 1-2-3.
The Highlanders gave themselves some more wiggle room, adding two runs on RBI singles by Rampone and Haberstroh for a 7-3 lead heading to the bottom of the eighth, where Kapp tossed another 1-2-3 frame.
NJIT got two baserunners without a hit, but couldn't score in the top half of the final inning. The Bulldogs opened the bottom half with a single and a walk. But the veteran Kapp navigated his way through, allowing a run on a ground out and then a two-out run-scoring single before closing the door without ever allowing the potential tying run to reach base.
NJIT's next scheduled action is at Delaware State in Dover on Saturday and Sunday, with noon doubleheaders on tap for both dates.
