May 2, 2015

2 Game 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E Lafayette 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 6 0 NJIT 1 0 0 4 0 0 x 5 7 0 Box Score (HTML)|Box Score (PDF) 5

8 Game 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Lafayette 1 2 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 8 13 2 NJIT 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 3 Box Score (HTML)|Box Score (PDF) 2

NEWARK, N.J. - Behind a career-high 11 strikeouts from starting pitcher David Bednar in game two, the Lafayette baseball team earned a split with NJIT on Saturday in non-conference doubleheader action at Riverfront Stadium.

Bednar tossed seven innings in the nightcap to help the Leopards (12-25-1) to an 8-2 victory that snapped a four-game losing streak. The sophomore right-hander allowed just five hits and two walks while earning his third win of the season.

The Lafayette offense did its part as well, scoring runs in each of the first four innings while all nine starters recorded at least one hit. Brett Thompson got it started with an RBI single in the first before Rob Caliento delivered a two-run base knock in the second.

The Higlanders (20-18-1) scored their lone two runs on the bottom of the second, but Lafayette answered right back with a Tyler Hudson two-run single in the fourth and a Jackson Kramer RBI base hit in the fifth to build a 6-2 lead.

The Leopards finished their scoring in the eighth with another pair of RBI singles from Kramer and Luke Robinson. Relief pitcher Ryan Callanan then entered and tossed two hitless, scoreless frames to preserve the win.

NJIT claimed game one -- a seven-inning affair -- by a score of 5-2 behind a complete-game effort from starter Ian Bentley.

Mike Rampone singled home Ed Charlton in the first inning to give the hosts the lead before Lafayette's Michael Coniglio scored on a wild pitch in the third to even the score.

The Highlanders then got the best of Patriot League Pitcher of the Week Toby Schwartz in the fourth, picking up four runs on four hits with two outs. Thompson managed a solo home run -- his second of the year -- in the fifth for the Leopards to set the final score.

The two teams will bus back to Easton on Sunday for a single contest set to begin at 1 p.m. The Leopards will recognize their eight seniors before the game, as it is the final time they will suit up at Kamine Stadium.