SMITHFIELD, R.I. — The NJIT baseball team drops Sunday doubleheader to Bryant to close weekend series.
 

Game One: Bryant 7, NJIT 5
The Highlanders opened the day with a fast start, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. Austin Francis doubled down the right-field line to set the table before Lorenzo Camilleri delivered a two-run double to left-center to give the Highlanders an early 2-0 advantage.

The Bulldogs answered with a run in the bottom of the first and took the lead in the second inning on a sacrifice bunt and a two-run home run. Conner Rippo responded in the second with his first collegiate home run to even the score at 3-3.

The Highlanders regained the lead in the fifth inning with Brody Levin starting the rally with a single before Cole Campbell followed with a base hit. Ty Sallie drove in the tying run with an RBI single, and Camilleri added his third RBI of the game on a groundout to make it 5-4 Highlanders.

The Bulldogs did not go down without fight capitalizing in the sixth inning to plate three runs and take the lead.

Camilleri paced the Highlanders with three RBIs, while Francis finished 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Rippo added a home run, and Levin contributed two hits off the bench. Sallie also drove in a run and scored once.

On the mound, Mark Scamardella struck out four over 4.1 innings in the start.

Game Two: Bryant 13, NJIT 9
The Bulldogs struck first in the game two, building an early lead before the Highlanders chipped away throughout the middle innings.

The Highlanders got on the board in the third inning when Camilleri singled home a run and Rippo followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one. Francis added an RBI single in the fourth to keep the Highlanders within striking distance.

After the Bulldogs pushed its lead to 5-3, Camilleri launched a solo home run to right field in the seventh inning to make it a one-run game once again.

The Highlanders delivered its biggest rally of the day in the eighth inning, sending nine runs across the plate to take a 9–5 advantage. Nick Vega opened the inning with a walk and Sheehan O'Connor followed with a bunt single before Campbell worked another walk to load the bases. Sallie reached on a fielder's choice that brought in two runs, and later in the inning Jack Stead added an RBI single, Brody Levin followed with a run-scoring hit, and Rippo drew a bases-loaded walk to cap the five-run frame.

The Bulldogs responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning, using hits, walks, and hit batters to score eight runs and reclaim the lead for good.

Camilleri led the Highlanders offensively in Game Two, finishing 2-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks. Sallie scored three times, while Rippo added two RBIs. Francis, Stead, and Levin each recorded RBIs during the Highlanders' late rally.

Becker Sybirski provided three scoreless innings of relief in the middle frames to help keep NJIT within reach before the Highlanders' eighth-inning surge.

Next Up
NJIT returns to action on Tuesday, the 31st as the Highlanders hit the road and take on Marist at 3:00 p.m.