LEXINGTON, VA - Thursday was a long day for the NJIT baseball team, but its one that everyone associated with the program will remember for a long time.

The day begin with a 6AM COVID-19 test in Newark, NJ, was followed by a 400-mile bus trip to Lexington, VA, and ended with a season-opening doubleheader split vs. host VMI, as the Highlanders defeated the Keydets 16-5 in game one and fell 2-1 in the nitecap. 

Thursday's games were the first of the season for NJIT, and in fact, they were the first in 352 days since the 2020 campaign was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VMI opened its season earlier in the week with a loss to nationally ranked Virginia and now sits at 1-2.

The Highlanders showed no rust offensively as they scored at least two runs in each of the first four innings of game one, en route to a 9-5 lead after four innings of play. 

After being held scoreless in the fifth, NJIT broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning and used a solid effort out of the bullpen from Jake Rappaport to earn the victory by a double-digit margin. 

Rappaport earned the mound win after tossing 3.2 scoreless innings and striking out four in the seven-inning contest. 

Offensively, there was no shortage of highlights as eight NJIT starters recorded at least one hit, and the only one that didn't, Nick Hussey, drew three walks. Leadoff hitter Albert Choi led the squad with three hits and four RBI, while Matt Cocciadiffero and Luke Long each hit home runs in the win. 

Longo and Paul Franzoni each joined Choi with multi-hit games with two apiece, while Cocciadiffero, David Marcano, Daniel Helfgott, and Kevin Blum each had a pair of RBIs.

The Highlanders out-hit the Keydets 5-2 in the second game Thursday, but fell 2-1. 

Sophomore Ryan Fischer shined on the mound, striking out a career-high seven hitters in 5.0 innings of work.

NJIT scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch as David Marcano crossed the plate to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Keydets tied the game in the fifth inning, and won it in walk-off fashion as a hit by pitch brought in the game-winning run.

The Highlanders will look to take the rubber match when the teams return to the diamond on Friday at 3pm.