PISCATAWAY, NJ - The NJIT baseball team went ahead early, but Rutgers was able to come from behind for an 8-3 victory in non-conference action on Bainton Field on Tuesday afternoon.

The Highlanders scored the first three runs of the game before the Scarlet Knights scored the final eight.

Ray Ortiz put NJIT ahead before an out was recorded, hitting his third home run of the season over the left field wall to lead off the game. 

An inning later Kevin Putsky made it 3-0 as he singled with the bases loaded to score AJ Soldra and Dillon Can.

Jake Fullerton followed up a scoreless first inning on the mound with another zero in the second to keep the Highlanders ahead 3-0 after two innings of play.

Rutgers finally got on the scoreboard with two runs in the third and tied the game with one more an inning later. The Scarlet Knights scored one run in each of the next three innings and two more in the eighth to ultimately win the game 8-3. 

Cade Ladehoff had a pair of hits, including a double, to lead the Highlanders offense.

Fullerton allowed one run in 2.0 innings pitched. Talon Mihalinac and Colin Kidd each struck out a pair of Scarlet Knights on Tuesday. 

The Highlanders return to action this weekend when they host UMass Lowell in their first America East home series of the season at Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls, NJ. First pitch in Friday's series opener is slated for 6:30pm.