LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ–Graduate student Grant Vurpillat registered his fourth save of the season as visiting NJIT defeated Rider, 7-6, in a midweek non-conference game Tuesday afternoon at Sonny Pittaro Field.
NJIT picked up its 10th win of the season while Rider moved to 22-10 overall.
Highlander LHP Vurpillat pitched 2.2 innings to record the save, allowing just one Bronc hit while striking out six-out-of-nine batters faced. NJIT's third pitcher Holden deJong notched the win, moving to 2-3 on the season, pitching 1.1 innings.
The Highlanders threatened early, loading the bases in the top of the first, but were unable to score, while Rider plated a pair in the home half of the inning to take a 2-0 advantage.
After a scoreless second inning, the Highlanders' offense got going thanks to a pair of home runs.
Luke Longo led off the inning with his eighth longball of the season and after
Andrew Elcock was hit by a pitch,
Ray Ortiz hit a two-run home run to put NJIT in front, 3-2.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Rider immediately answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to go back in front 4-3, and added to its lead an inning later with another unearned run to make the score 5-3.
It remained 5-3 until the top of the sixth when the Highlanders tied the game on a bases loaded walk from
Ray Ortiz and a sacrifice fly off the bat of
Jared Donnelly.
The visiting Highlanders added a pair of runs in the seventh inning on a double to right field by Luke Longo to take a 7-5 lead.
Rider added a single run in the bottom of the seventh as Vurpillat closed the door in the eighth, going 1-2-3 and struck out the side in the ninth to earn the 7-6 road victory.
NJIT's Longo went 2-for-3 with two runs, three RBI and two walks followed by Ortiz who finished 1-for-4 with one run and three RBI. Andrew Elcock was a perfect 2-for-2 on the day with one run and a walk.
The Highlanders will get right back on the diamond on Wednesday when they travel to South Orange to take on Seton Hall. First pitch is slated for 4pm.
