Orono, Maine – The NJIT baseball season came to an end on Thursday night at the America East Baseball Championship as the Highlanders dropped a pair of matchups on Thursday at Mahaney Diamond at the University of Maine.

Game 1: #3 Binghamton 15, #2 NJIT 10
In a game that featured a combined eight home runs, the Bearcats got ahead with a five-run first inning which included a grand slam. The Highlanders chipped away over the next several innings, starting with a leadoff solo shot from Cole Campbell in the bottom of the first. Mason Wolf and Andrew Eppinger each added RBI doubles in the third, while a solo homer from Michael Doyle in the fourth brought NJIT within one.

The sides traded runs in the fifth, but Binghamton posted another five spot in the sixth to extend its lead to 12-5. The Highlanders would quickly punch back, as an Austin Francis grand slam suddenly had NJIT back within striking distance. One inning later, Doyle mashed his second home run of the game to pull the Highlanders even closer, 12-10. However, three late tallies propelled the Bearcats to the victory.

Game 2: #1 Bryant 4, #2 NJIT 1
NJIT was able to bounce back quickly to strike first in the second game of the day. Cole Campbell walked to start the game and advanced over to third on a pair of stolen bases. Andrew Eppinger came up later in the frame with two outs and hit a grounder to third, but an errant throw allowed Eppinger to reach and Campbell to score.

Bryant tied things in the bottom of the first and took the lead with a pair of runs in the second. The Bulldogs tacked on an insurance tally in the fourth, but NJIT starter MT Morrissey held Bryant in check the rest of the way. The Highlander righty was a warrior, working seven innings and striking out eight while throwing a career-high 123 pitches.

NJIT had chances late, including putting runners on first and second with nobody out in the eighth. However, the Highlanders were unable to cash in those chances as Bryant took the victory to advance.