UNION, NJ - Ryan Fischer pitched a career-high eight innings, while the NJIT baseball team got home runs from Julio Marcano, Paul Franzoni, and Albert Choi to defeat UMass Lowell 10-4 in the first contest of the three-game America East Conference series on Friday evening at Jim Hynes Stadium.

Choi's blast was the biggest of the evening as it came with the bases loaded and broke the game open, putting the Highlanders (11-10, 6-1 America East) 8-1 in the fourth inning. UMass Lowell (7-15, 2-5 America East) got a pair of home runs, but that was all the damage it would get off of Fischer, the ace of the NJIT pitching staff.

Fischer scattered six hits and struck out five, while not walking a batter for the second-straight game. The junior is now 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA after his first three starts in conference play. 

Andrew Elcock got the Highlanders on the board first, singling home David Marcano in the bottom of the first inning. The Riverhawks answered with a solo shot in the second, but the Highlanders were able to go back in front in the third inning, thanks to a pair of solo shots from Julio Marcano and Franzoni. 

NJIT broke the game open in the fourth, scoring its fourth run of the game on an RBI single from Jared Donnelly, before Choi gave the Highlanders a seven run lead with his third home run of the season. 

UML got one run back in the fifth on another solo shot, but the Highlanders answered immediately as an RBI single from Nick Hussey once again made the margin seven. 

NJIT made it 10-2 in the bottom of the eighth thanks to an RBI triple from Franzoni. The Riverhawks then scored twice the ninth to make the final score 10-4.

David Marcano and Donnelly both extended their hitting streaks in the victory. Marcano has now hit in 13-straight games, while Donnelly's streak has now also reached double-digits at 10. 

The teams will wrap up their series on Saturday with a doubleheader back at Jim Hynes Stadium in Union. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 12pm.