Bronx, N.Y. – (May 3, 2022) – NJIT's Jared Donnelly connected on an RBI-single in the top of the 13
th inning, while David Marcano hit a three-run home run, as the Highlanders earned a 7-3 win over the Fordham Rams in 13 innings at Houlihan Park on Tuesday.
The Highlanders (19-20) opened the scoring in the second, as Nick Hussey reached third on a double and an error, and later scored on an infield single by Kevin Putsky.
NJIT made it 2-0 in the third, as David Marcano singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Julio Marcano.
The score stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh, when Fordham tied the game at two.
Michael Taylor started the frame in a single to third base and moved to second when
Jason Coules was hit by a pitch. After a sacrifice bunt by
Diego Prieto,
C.J. Vazquez drew a walk to load the bases, bringing pinch-hitter
Jake Guercio to the plate. Guercio hit a ground ball to short, which NJIT tried to turn a double play on, but the relay from second went past the first baseman, allowing Taylor and Coules to score.
NJIT regained the lead in the top of the ninth, as an errant pickoff throw to first by
Joseph Quintal got by
Casey Brown and down the right field line, allowing Julio Marcano to score from first base for a 3-2 lead.
Sebastian Mexico
Fordham answered back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame, as Coules was hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on an RBI-single by Vazquez.
Each team had chances in extra innings to win the game, but it was the Highlanders that scored four times in the top of the 13
th inning to take a 7-3 lead. With two on and two out, Jared Donnelly singled to right field to score Hussey, who reached on a ground-rule double. David Marcano then connected on a three-run home run the left, his seventh of the season.
The Rams did get a baserunner on in the bottom of the frame but were unable to score, as Alex DiBona recorded the final three outs for his first win of the year, as he tossed the final three scoreless innings.
For Fordham,
Connor Haywood (0-2) took the loss, as he struck out five over the final four innings but allowed the four runs in the 13
th.
Cian Sahler pitched the first three innings, allowing one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts.
Trey Maeker and Quintal also threw three innings each in the game. Maeker gave up just one hit with three strikeouts with Quintal allowing one unearned run.
At the plate,
Sebastian Mexico was 2-for-5 for the Rams, while Coules was 1-for-4 with two runs scored and a stolen base.
The Fordham baseball team will next be in action on Friday, May 6
th, as the Rams begin a three-game Atlantic 10 series at Rhode Island, starting at 3:00 PM.
