Nethaway Homers Twice In NJIT Twin Bill Split
NEWARK, N.J. – The University at Albany baseball team split Saturday’s doubleheader at NJIT, winning game one, 11-1, before the Highlanders captured the nightcap with a walk-off home run, 5-4.
In game one, senior Kevin Archbold (2-3) tossed a complete-game gem, scattering five hits and one run, while striking out nine.
Offensively, UAlbany totaled nine hits led by Evan Harasta (2-for-3), Josh Nethaway (2-for-4, 3 RBIs), and Craig Lepre’s (2-for-3) multiple hit performances.
The Great Danes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, taking advantage of a pair of walks. With two on and two out, Craig Lepre lined a single, plating Brian Bullard from second.
From there, Archbold and NJIT hurler Matt Coughlin dueled through the fifth inning. In the top of the sixth, the Great Danes took a 3-0 advantage. Lepre sparked the rally with a single up the middle. After a call to the bullpen, pinch runner Cory Kingston moved to second on a wild pitch, to third on Alex Lushkevich’s single up the middle, and scored on a passed ball. Back-to-back hit by pitches loaded the bases and Jeff VonMoser’s misplayed bunt plated Luskevich.
The Great Danes broke the game wide open in the seventh, scoring eight runs on four hits and an error to take an 11-0 lead. Harasta led off with a single up the middle and Nethaway belted a two-run home run. UAlbany then made their way around the bases with three consecutive hit batsmen and two bases loaded walks. Bullard’s sacrifice fly scored another, and Harasta and Nethaway knocked back-to-back RBI singles to left, bringing in three more. Kingston capped the inning, reaching on a run-scoring error to third.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tom Bouck led off with a solo home run to spoil the shutout, but Archbold retired the next three batters to preserve the complete-game win.
Coughlin (1-4) took the loss for NJIT, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing two runs and four hits.
In the nightcap, NJIT took a 4-0 lead, scoring two runs in the second, one in the third, and one in the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Harasta and Nethaway belted back-to-back home runs to make the score 4-2. The Great Danes knotted the game up in the top of the seventh, as Lushkevich walk, Bullard doubled down the left field line, and Harasta brought one run in with a single to third. Nethaway then recorded his fifth RBI of the day, hitting a sacrifice fly to left, tying the score, 4-4.
However, NJIT quickly ended the game in the bottom of the seventh when Ed Charlton knocked a leadoff walk-off home run.
On the mound, Sam DeCelle (1-2) took the loss, throwing 1.2 innings of relief. Starter Ryan Stinar threw the opening 4.1 innings. Ian Bentley (5-3) earned the win for NJIT, tossing the complete game.
UAlbany finished with 10 hits in the game led by Bullard (2-for-4) and Harasta (2-for-4).
The four-game series concludes Sunday with a doubleheader starting at noon.
