LITTLE FALLS, NJ - The NJIT baseball team relied on its veterans to come up big on Saturday as the Highlanders defeated visiting Quinnipiac 3-2 in 10 innings at Yogi Berra Stadium.
Quinnipiac came from behind to win game one on Friday, meaning Sunday's series finale in Hamden, CT will decide who takes the three-game set.
The Highlanders returned the favor after losing a late lead on Friday, scoring a run in each of the eighth, ninth, and 10th innings to win 3-2 on Saturday.
There were no shortage of heros for NJIT, as graduate students
Joe Georgini and
Albert Choi and senior
Ray Ortiz all came up huge in Saturday's win.
Georgini entered the game with two outs in the sixth inning and tossed 4.1 shutout innings, allowing just one hit to keep the game close after Quinnipiac went ahead 2-0 in the third inning.
NJIT loaded the bases in the eighth and freshman
Cade Ladehoff hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 2-1. After a scoreless ninth from Georgini,
Ray Ortiz led off the home half of the inning with his fifth home run of the season to tie the game 2-2 and send it to extra innings.
The Bobcats threatened in the top of the 10th, loading the bases with two outs, but
Ty Sallie ran down a ball at the left field wall to end the threat and set up Choi's heroic blast.
Choi stepped to the plate with one out in the bottom of the 10th and ended the game with his fourth home run of the season and 18th of his career, one that will go down among the best in program history.
Aidan Kidd started on the mound for NJIT and struck out seven while allowing two runs (one earned) in 5.2 innings of work before handing the ball to Georgini. Kidd is up to 64 strikeouts this season, which leads the America East.
Michael Doyle recorded a pair of hits for the Highlanders in the win.
The Highlanders and Bobcats will meet on Sunday to decide the series at the QU Baseball Field. First pitch is slated for 1pm.
