BOILING SPRINGS, NC - Ryan Fischer was named the NJIT baseball team's Opening Day Starting Pitcher earlier this preseason and the junior answered the call on Friday evening with one of the best outings of his career, striking out a career-high 11 hitters over six innings to lead his team to a 4-3 victory over host Gardner-Webb at Bill Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium.

The Opening Day win was NJIT's first since 2019, a 5-4 victory over Eastern Michigan that gave Head Coach Robbie McClellan his first-career win.

Fischer gave the ball to fifth-year season closer Jake Rappaport to begin the seventh inning and Rappaport proved why he was named to the Preseason Watch List for NCBWA Stopper of the Year earlier this week, tossing three innings to earn his 14th career save. 

The Highlanders got on the board first in the top of the first inning as Luke Longo drew a bases loaded walk and doubled their lead to 2-0 an inning later on an RBI single from David Marcano. Albert Choi scored both of NJIT's first two runs. 

Gardner-Webb scored in the home half of the third to cut the lead to one, but the Highlanders answered immediately with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning. Julio Marcano scored on a passed ball to make the score 3-1 and Longo followed with his second RBI of the game, hitting a single to score Isiah Daubon and make the score 4-1.

The Runnin' Bulldogs scored an unearned run in the seventh and another run in the ninth inch closer, but Rappaport was able to get a groundout with two outs and a runner on first to seal the game. 

The Highlanders will have a quick turnaround as they return to Bill Masters Field at John Henry Moss Stadium on Saturday morning when they take on Bellarmine. First pitch is scheduled for 11am.