UNION, NJ - The NJIT baseball team used tremendous a tremendous pitching effort and produced clutch offense when necessary en route to a doubleheader sweep of Binghamton in America East Conference action on Friday at Jim Hynes Stadium. Ryan Fischer and Ray Ortiz led the Highlanders to a 1-0 win in game one, while Aidan Kidd, Grant Vurpillat, Brett Helmkamp, and Ty Sallie were each pivotal in the 4-3 game two victory.

NJIT has now won six in a row and is 16-20 on the season and 6-5 in conference play, while Binghamton saw its record drop to 19-14 overall and 6-5 in the America East.

GAME ONE RECAP
Fischer, the 2022 America East pitcher of the year, tossed his best game of the season, throwing all eight innings and striking out nine as he pitched the first complete game shutout of his impressive career. 

It wasn't all easy for Fischer, who pitched his way out of a few jams in the game, which was scheduled for seven innings, but headed to extra innings as neither team was able to score a run in the first seven. 

Fischer gave up a leadoff single in the eighth, but his defense erased it with a double play from the next batter. 

After getting a groundout to end the top of the eighth, the Highlanders offense came to the plate with a chance to earn their third walk-off win of the season in just their fifth home game. NJIT did just that as Andrew Elcock led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. After Jared Donnelly served as hero in the Highlanders' first two walk-off wins, it was Ortiz's turn this time. The junior shortstop hit a single right up the middle to score Elcock and give the Highlanders the 1-0 series opening win.

Seven different Highlanders finished the game with one hit. 

GAME TWO RECAP
Kidd struggled early, but was able to get out of the first inning allowing just one run.

The Highlanders offense didn't take long to get the lead back, scoring a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning to go back in front, 2-1. Ortiz scored Luke Longo, who doubled to open the inning, with a single up the middle, almost exactly the same hit that won game one. NJIT's second run of the inning came on a safety squeeze as Helmkamp got a bunt down to score Ortiz.

Kevin Putsky made it 3-1 in the third inning when his single scored Ortiz.

After his tough first inning, Kidd settled in and was dominant over the next four. He left the game after striking out nine in five innings. 

Vurpillat entered in the sixth and gave up a pair of runs in the seventh (one unearned) to tie the game, but similar to Kidd earlier in the game, settled in and finished off strong. 

The Highlanders took the lead in the bottom of the eighth on another bunt play. This time, Sallie got a bunt down with two outs and beat the throw to first as Helmkamp scored to give NJIT the lead. 

Vurpillat's ninth inning was his best. The graduate student and reigning America East pitcher of the week induced a pair of easy groundouts and finished the game with his sixth strikeout to clinch the Highlanders sixth-straight win.

Up Next
As of Friday evening, the plan is to conclude the series on Saturday evening back in Union. Inclement weather is in the forecast and can shift the start time or move the series finale to Sunday. Stay tuned to NJITHighlanders.com and @NJTechBaseball on twitter for updates.