High Point, N.C. – The NJIT baseball team opened its 2025 season on Friday afternoon, dropping both games of its doubleheader at High Point. The Highlanders fell in game one, 10-0, but responded by holding a ninth inning lead in the night cap before a walk-off home run gave the Panthers the win.

Game 1: High Point 10, NJIT 0 (7 inn.)
High Point put a pair of runs on the board in the first to grab an early lead. NJIT starter Holden deJong was able to dodge further trouble in the second inning, working around a leadoff double to keep the Panthers off the board. High Point would tack on more in the third, however, as a two-run home run doubled its lead. The Panthers would increase their lead against the Highlander bullpen later in the game to pull away for the win.

Game 2: High Point 4, NJIT 3
Game two started strong for NJIT, as Mason Wolf capitalized on his first at-bat as a Highlander with a two-run single to center. Highlander starter Brandon Peterson responded by tossing a clean first inning, but High Point got on the board in the second with a solo home run to right field.

The Panthers later tied the score at 2-2 in the sixth and threatened for more after chasing Peterson from the game. With freshman Brandon Falco in the game, the Panthers put two runners on base with a chance to take the lead. Falco worked his way out of the jam, getting a strikeout with the bases loaded to escape the jam.

The Highlanders claimed the lead in the top of the ninth as Jack Stead ripped a single up the middle to score Austin Francis from second. However, High Point would win the game on a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.

Up Next
NJIT and High Point take the field for game three of their series on Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m.