Box Score JERSEY CITY, N.J. – NJIT pushed two runs across in the 10th inning to upend Saint Peter's 5-3 in non-conference baseball action on Tuesday.
Nick Henriquez (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) paced the Peacocks (10-26) with two hits and two RBIs. Jon Kristoffersen (Jefferson, N.J./Jefferson Township) added three hits, an RBI and a run scored while Vinny Maietta (Franklin Square, N.Y./St. Mary's) had three hits on the afternoon.
With the game tied at 3, Matt Weckerle smacked a solo shot on a 2-1 pitch over the right field fence to give the Highlanders (12-17) the lead for good. Ed Charlton added an insurance run on an RBI double to seal the 5-3 win after Saint Peter's went down in order in the bottom of the inning.
Weckerle went 1-for-2 on the day with the solo shot and reached base in his first three at-bats after being hit with the pitch. Stephan Halibej added two hits and an RBI while DJ Roche also hit a solo home run in the winning effort.
The Peacocks scored three of the first four runs only to see NJIT score the final four runs to earn the season split with Saint Peter's with each team winning on the road. The Peacocks defeated the Highlanders 6-3 on Mar. 25 in Newark.
Halibej hit a two-out double down the left field line in the top of the first to give the Highlanders the early 1-0 lead.
Saint Peter's answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Kristoffersen and Kyle Grimes (Iselin, N.Y./John F. Kennedy Memorial) walked and both runners touched home on Henriquez's two-run single up the middle to give the Peacocks a 2-1 lead.
Kristoffersen helped Saint Peter's increase the lead to two runs in the second. Nick Cardamone (Freehold, N.J./Freehold) singled up the middle and came all the way around from first on Kristoffersen's double to deep center first to increase the margin ton 3-1.
The Peacocks then missed a chance to score in the third. Henriquez doubled to right center before Maietta reached on a single to third base while Henriquez moved up to third on a throwing error to put runners on the corners with one out. NJIT got out of the jam when Henriquez was tagged out on a fielder's choice and a fly out. After the third inning Saint Peter's would only get one runner in scoring position in the final seven innings and left 13 runners on base in the game.
Roche trimmed the margin to 3-2 when he smacked the first offering over the left field fence. The Highlanders tied the game with a Teddy Bickert RBI single through the left side in the seventh and then scored twice in the 10th to earn the win.
Ed Mejias (Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean Township) took the loss for the Peacocks. Adam Purcilly (Troy, Mich./Avondale) pitched well in his first start at Jaroschak Field in 2014, allowing two runs on four hits in six inning pitched with two strikeouts.
Saint Peter's is now 7-3 against teams from the state of New Jersey. The loss also ended a five-game winning streak at Jaroschak Field.
The Peacocks return to action on Friday when they start a four-game series at Florida International. First pitch is 6 p.m.
