CORAL GABLES, FL - The NJIT baseball put up a valiant effort against traditional National Power Miami (FL) in Friday's 2024 Opening Day, but the Highlanders ultimately fell short as the Hurricanes won game one of the four-game series 8-7.

A bases loaded single in the bottom of the ninth gave the Hurricanes the victory.

Miami scored the first five runs of the game, plating three in the first, one in the second, and one in the third to lead 5-0 after three innings.

The Highlanders went down in order in each of the first three frames, but their bats woke up in the fourth. NJIT scored four times in the fourth before recording an out as Albert Choi led off the inning with a home run and Kevin Putsky hit a three-run home run three batters later to make the score 5-4.

NJIT tied the game in the fifth on an RBI double from Ray Ortiz and took the lead soon thereafter when Luke Longo scored on a wild pitch. An RBI single from Andrew Eppinger put the Highlanders in front 7-5 as they headed to the home half of the fifth.

Miami tied the game in the seventh, however, and kept NJIT off the board in the eighth and ninth innings before ultimately winning the game in the home half of the ninth.

Choi and Ortiz each recorded a pair of hits to pace the Highlanders offense. Drew Standen came out of the bullpen in the third inning and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings. He was relieved by Liam Reiner, who gave up one hit and didn't allow a runner to reach second in two innings. 

NJIT and Miami will continue their four-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled for 2pm, while game two is set to begin at 7pm.