DELAND, FL—The ninth-inning rally for the Highlanders just fell short as Stetson claimed a 3-2 win over visiting NJIT on Saturday in the second of a three-game ASUN Conference weekend series between the teams at Melching Field.
The Hatters, winners of the last four-out-of-five games, won its second straight, improving to 2-0 in the ASUN, 12-17 overall, while the visiting Highlanders drop to 0-2 in the league, 3-20 overall.
Sophomore right-hander Jack Perkins (3-3) started and got the win for the home team, pitching 7.0 innings and allowing just one run (earned), which came in the sixth inning. He struck out eight Highlanders and walked one.
A pair of relievers – LHP Tyler Keller and RHP Joey Gonzalez pitched the final two innings of the nine-inning contest, holding the Highlanders to two hits and one run while striking out two batters. Gonzalez pitched the ninth-inning, picking up his fourth save of the season.
NJIT got fine pitching, as well. Redshirt junior left-hander
Brian Sondergard (0-3) was credited with the loss, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing four hits and three runs (all earned).
Junior RHP
John Saviano finished up the game with his strongest appearance of the season, working a perfect sixth, seventh and eighth innings for the Highlanders. Saviano struck out three Hatters.
Stetson's 2B Ben Rowdon was the only Hatter with a pair of hits Saturday, finishing 2-for-3 with one RBI.
The Highlanders hit three doubles among its nine hits and three Highlanders, RF
Matthew Cocciadiferro, CF
Michael Anastasia and C
Cody Kramer, got two hits apiece. Cocciadiferro, Anastasia and 1B
Johnny Malatesta recorded doubles for the visitors.
The Hatters, which put together a 13-2 win in game one, scored once in the opening inning. DH Jack Gonzalez drove in the first run on a groundout to SS, scoring Jacob Koos, who led off the inning with a walk.
Stetson added a pair of runs in the second inning, on a double down the left field line by Colton Lightner and a single to centerfield by Rowdon, taking a 3-0 lead.
The Highlanders got on the board in the top of the sixth, on an RBI double to right center by Anastasia, scoring Cocciadiferro, who singled to short, to begin the inning.
In the top of the ninth, with one out, Malatesta doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a ground out by Brady. NJIT's Kramer singled to right center, scoring Malatesta but the Hatters ended the game on a grounder back to the pitcher, holding on to the 3-2 victory.
The two team will conclude the three-game series on Sunday at 1pm. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.
