Queens, N.Y. – The NJIT baseball team dropped a back-and-forth affair on Sunday afternoon, 8-7, in its series finale at St. John's. The Highlanders grabbed the lead with four runs in the top of the eighth inning, but the Red Storm rallied in the bottom half to take the win.
How it Happened
For the fifth time over the last six games and ninth time this season, NJIT got on the board in the first inning.
Ty Sallie reached on a one-out double and came around to score the game's first run on an RBI single from
Andrew Eppinger. The lead would remain with the Highlanders through the first inning after
Jaden Caballero made a sensational catch in left field to rob what would have been a two-run extra-base hit.
NJIT tacked on another run in the second after a fielder's choice allowed Caballero to score from third. St. John's would bounce back, scoring a run in the third to cut the deficit in half before taking the lead with a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings.
In the sixth, the Highlanders would inch closer.
Austin Francis reached on a fielder's choice and would later go first-to-third on a two-out single by
Mattie Thomas. That would prove to be important as Francis would score on a passed ball to pull NJIT closer, 5-3.
In the eighth, NJIT would rally to go ahead. A leadoff single by
Ray Ortiz was followed by an RBI double from Eppinger to cut the deficit down to one. Next was Francis who would tie the game next with an RBI double of his own. Later in the inning,
Jack Stead but the Highlanders ahead with a two-out, two-strike double to five NJIT a 7-5 advantage. However, St. John's would use three RBI singles in the bottom half of the inning to go back in front and win the rubber match of the three-game set.
Up Next
NJIT continues its run against BIG EAST schools on Tuesday when it heads up the road to face Seton Hall at 4 p.m.
