BRONX, NY-Allowing a total of five runs in a college baseball doubleheader usually translates into at least one win for the team getting that kind of pitching. But it didn't work that way on Saturday afternoon for NJIT, which managed just one run of its own on the day and dropped a non-conference pair to Fordham, 2-0 and 3-1 at Houlihan Park on the Fordham campus.

The same two teams had split a doubleheader in Newark a day earlier, with Fordham exploding late to capture a 10-4 victory in the opener and NJIT came away with a 3-2 win in the nightcap. Both games on Friday were seven-inning affairs, while Saturday's action was a nine-inning opener and seven-inning second game.

With the four-game weekend series complete, Fordham stands at 11-13, while NJIT is 8-14. The Highlanders will play a non-conference game in nearby Jersey City at Saint Peter's in a 3:30 pm game on Tuesday and then host their first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference baseball series with single games vs. USC Upstate on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 1-3, at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium.

The nine-inning opening game at Fordham on Saturday was a classic pitchers' duel, with Fordham's junior RHP Kirk Haynes, Jr., (2-0) tossing a nine-inning complete-game three-hitter with nine strikeouts and a walk.

Meanwhile, NJIT junior RHP Bryan Haberstroh (0-3), who pitched into the eighth inning, was credited with seven innings pitched and allowed two hits and two runs with five walks and three strikeouts. He allowed a walk to Fordham's SS Joseph DeVito to open the eighth inning and DeVito later scored on a one out single by LF Ryan McNally.

Haberstroh, who had some pitching experience in high school, but did not appear on the mound in his first two college seasons, has now made five pitching starts as a college junior and his outing on Saturday was his best to date, as he reached new standards in innings pitched (7) and fewest hits allowed (2).

Sophomore RHP John Saviano was credited with an inning pitched and was charged with a hit and walk, with no runs. Saviano, who also worked in Saturday's nightcap, appeared in all three NJIT games this week and was not tagged with a run in 4.1 innings of relief work.

Fordham got all the scoring Haynes would need when the Rams put a run across in the bottom of the first inning. 2B Joseph Runco led off with single, stole second and moved to third on a balk, scoring on an RBI ground out by CF Jason Lundy.

The Fordham run came a half-inning after NJIT squandered what was likely its best scoring opportunity of the day against Haynes. With one out in the top of the first inning, 2B Johnny Malatesta walked and the next batter, LF Evan Pietronico reached on an error, giving the Highlanders runners on first and second with one out.

However, Haynes escaped the jam, inducing a fly out and then a force out at third base to leave two on base.

The Highlanders didn't get another runner into scoring position until the top of the eighth inning, when CF Jesse Uttendorfer stroked a two-out single and stole second base, where he was left on Haynes' ninth strikeout of the game.

The Rams added their second run in the bottom of the eighth and Haynes nailed down the win for Fordham with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

Game Two
NJIT scored what would be its only run of the day in the top of the first inning, but the lead was short-lived, as Fordham struck for its three runs in the bottom of the second inning, before both teams went scoreless the rest of the way in the seven-inning nightcap.

Senior RHP Joseph Serrapica (1-4) got the seven-inning complete-game win for the Rams, scattering seven hits and allowing the one run, while striking out five and walking two.

Sophomore LHP Justin Chin (0-1) made his first start of the season for NJIT and took the loss after allowing three runs on four hits, with a walk in 1.2 innings. He gave way to classmates Tommy Derer and Saviano, who combined to shut out Fordham on one hit over the last 4.1 innings.

NJIT got two hits apiece in the second game from Uttendorfer, DH Stephan Halibej, and SS Justin Etts.

Uttendorfer led off the game with a single and was on third base with two outs when Halibej rapped a double to score the run.

The Highlanders left the bases loaded in the top of the second inning and were punished in the bottom of the frame, when Fordham plated all three of its runs. The decisive half-inning began with a hit-by-pitch and the next two Fordham batters singled to load the bases.

Chin induced two consecutive infield flies to first base, but he could not escape all the way, allowing a two-out bases-loaded walk to Fordham's ninth-place hitter, C Pat Gardner and Runco followed with a two-run single to make the score 3-1.

The Highlanders later got singles from Etts and Uttendorfer to begin the top of the seventh inning and they both advanced to scoring position with one out, but the game ended after Etts was gunned down at home on a ground out to the pitcher and Halibej, second on NJIT's season RBI list with 12, flied out to right field.

Runco, who was 2-for-3, led Fordham with two runs batted in and RF Mark Donadio also went 2-for-3.