LITTLE FALLS, NJ - Sophomore Holden de Jong put together the best pitching performance of his young career on Sunday, leading the NJIT baseball team to a 12-3 victory over UMBC in America East Conference action at Yogi Berra Stadium.
The victory gave NJIT the series win after the teams split the first two games on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Sixth-year Head Coach
Robbie McClellan earned the 113th win of his career making him the program's all-time leader in victories.
de Jong tossed a perfect first inning and the Highlanders offense took over from there as freshman
Cade Ladehoff led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run and
Kevin Putsky hit a two-run double off the wall to make it 3-0 in the first.
Ladehoff knocked in his 40th run of the season in the second to add to the lead and the Highlanders scored twice in the third inning when
Cole Fleming singled home a pair of runs.
NJIT broke the game open in the sixth with four more runs, including a two-run home run from
Kevin Putsky, who knocked in four runs on Sunday.
UMBC finally got on the scoreboard with an unearned run in the seventh and NJIT tacked on two more runs in the seventh to make it 12-1 before the Retrievers scored the final two runs of the game in the eighth.
de Jong allowed just one unearned run in a career-high seven innings of work. The southpaw struck out eight hitters, which is also a career high.
Colin Kidd got the final six outs for the Highlanders, and walked one while not giving up a hit.
NJIT was led offensively by Ladehoff, who was 3-for-6 at the plate and was a double shy of the cycle. Four other Highlanders finished with two hits as NJIT out-hit UMBC 13-3 in the win. Putsky's four RBI were a team-high, while Ladehoff and Fleming each knocked in two runs.
The Highlanders wrap up their five-game home stand on Tuesday when they host Hofstra. First pitch is slated for 7pm back at Yogi Berra Stadium.
