Baseball Sweeps Sunday's Doubleheader vs. NJIT
BOX ONE I BOX TWO
ALBANY, N.Y. – Bouncing back from a pair of losses on Saturday, the University at Albany baseball team rallied for a Sunday sweep, overcoming NJIT 7-6 and 5-3. With the wins, the Great Danes improved to 9-12 on the season, while the Highlanders fell to 15-11-1.
“We played a really good team,” said Head Coach Jon Mueller. “They're well coached, they're very physical offensively. After yesterday, we needed to pitch better today and we did that.
“We've got to keep moving forward. A lot of guys got to play this weekend. Luckily we got out of here healthy and with a couple of wins,” added Mueller.
In game one, the Highlanders struck first, scoring one run in the top of the first on Bryan Haberstroh's sac fly.
However, the Danes took over from there, plating two runs in the second and four in the third for a 6-1 advantage. In the second, Alex Lushkevich and Eric Mueller knocked back-to-back singles up the middle scoring one to start the inning off. With one out, Mund singled to third, advancing Mueller who would later score on a wild pitch.
In the third, the Danes strung together four hits with two outs, sparked by Trevor DeMerritt's single to third. Lushkevich followed with an RBI single through the right side and Mueller lined an RBI double to left-center. After Garrett Longhurst walked, Mund capped the inning with an RBI single to right.
While UAlbany would lead the remainder of the game, NJIT chipped away at the five-run deficit, scoring one in the fourth on Stephan Halibej's leadoff triple and infield fielding error.
Next, the Highlanders tacked on two in the sixth, drawing a pair of walks and scoring on Charlie Uttendorfer's two-run liner through the right side.
NJIT threatened in the top of the seventh with two outs, stringing together Haberstroh's single, Halibej's double and Evan Pietronico's single to right-center for two runs. However, closer Joey Moore got out of the jam and picked up the save retiring the final batter with a groundout.
Moore tossed the final two innings, allowing two runs and four hits. Starter Matt Gallup (1-1) earned the win, holding NJIT to two runs and four hits, while striking out one in five innings of work.
At the plate, UAlbany accrued 13 hits led by Mund (3-for-3), DeMerritt (3-for-4), Lushkevich (2-for-3), Mueller (2-for-3), and Hinchy's (2-for-4) multi-hit performances.
In game two, NJIT scored the first three runs of the ballgame, plating two in the second on Cody Kramer's two-run single up the middle with one out, and added one run in the third on Ed Charlton's leadoff home run.
However, from there UAlbany starter Michael Adams settled in and reliever Terry Dugdale held the Highlanders off the board through the final three innings.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Great Danes got the offense going, cutting the deficit to one, 3-2. Hinchy, Blake, and Mund drew walks to load the bases with two outs, and Brendan Behan came through with a two-run scoring single left field.
In the fifth, UAlbany rallied with two outs, as Hinchy singled up the middle, Mueller singled through the right side, and Blake drew a walk, loading the bases. With the defense playing in, Trevor DeMerritt ripped a triple to the centerfield gap, giving the Danes' a 5-3 lead for good.
Dugdale (1-1) earned the win, allowing no runs and two hits, while striking out one in three frames. Adams tossed the opening four innings, allowing three runs and three hits, while striking out three.
For NJIT, reliever Tyler Kapp (0-1) took the loss, giving up three runs and three hits in 1.1 innings. Starter Johnny Malatesta threw the first 3.2 frames, allowing two runs and four hits, while striking out six.
Offensively, the Great Danes totaled eight hits led by Mueller's 2-for-3 effort.
Up next, UAlbany hosts St. John's Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Varsity Field.
