Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

TEANECK, N.J. -- The Fairleigh Dickinson baseball team split its seven-inning doubleheader in the start of a four-game series with NJIT on Saturday at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex. The Highlanders scored eight runs over the final two innings to take the opener, 9-1, before the Knights pounded out 14 hits to claim the nightcap, 12-4. With the split, FDU moves to 11-22 on the season, while NJIT goes to 13-18 overall.

In game one, the Highlanders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Stephan Halibej's RBI sacrifice fly, but the Knights would respond in the bottom of the first, as sophomore John Giakas (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) delivered a one-out RBI single through the left side to score fellow classmate Ryan Brennan (Mooresville, N.C./Mooresville) to knot the game at 1-1. FDU had a chance to tack on, but junior Riley Moonan (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero North) was left stranded at second base.

Later on in the bottom of the fourth, the Knights had runners at first and second with one out but a 1-6-3 double play quickly ended the threat.

Heading into the top of the sixth, FDU starter Ryan MacDonald (Bethpage, N.Y./Island Trees) had retired 11 straight batters and was on pace for a 12th until a throwing error by sophomore Joel Roman (East Hartford, Conn./East Hartford) at third base started the inning. After MacDonald plunked the next batter, he was relieved by junior Eric Snyder (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh), who was unable to field a sacrifice bunt attempt, which resulted in the bases load with nobody out. The next batter, Ed Charlton, put NJIT in front, 4-1, with a bases-clearing double. He would later advance to third base on a wild pitch and score on DJ Roche's RBI single, ending Snyder's day. Junior Yonah Perline (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Dominic) was summoned to the mound and ended the frame with a 6-4-3 double play, but the Highlanders led 5-1.

NJIT scored four more times in the top of the seventh to put the game away and take the opener, 9-1.

MacDonald (0-1) was charged with the loss despite yielding only three runs, two earned, on just two hits in 5+ innings of work. The southpaw walked two and struck out four.

Ian Bentley went the distance for the visitors in the victory, scattering eight hits and allowing one earned run. The lefty struck out three and did not issue a walk.

Brennan and Roman each had two hits to pace the Knights' offense. Charlton paced the Highlanders with three hits and five RBI while Matt Weckerle came around to score three times.

In game two, FDU put the game away early with six runs in the bottom of the first, all with two outs, to take a 6-0 lead. Sophomore Zach Tondi (Wood-Ridge, N.J./Bergen County Technical) started the scoring with an RBI single to right field to plate Brennan. After a four-pitch walk to redshirt sophomore Patrick McClure (Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius ) loaded the bases, the Knights received a gift, as NJIT was unable to record the final out on Roman's fielder's choice, which scored Moonan. Juniors Jose DeLeon (Paterson, N.J./Eastside) and Shane Siebler (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth Area) followed with run-scoring singles and freshman Matt McCann (West Windsor, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro ) capped the scoring with a two-run single.

After NJIT made it 6-1 on Rex MacMillian's two-out RBI double in the top of the fourth, FDU was able to get the run back in the bottom half on Tondi's RBI single up the middle, which scored Giakas, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The Knights scored five more times in the bottom of the fifth to take a commanding 12-1 lead. Two singles and a throwing error by the third baseman loaded the bases with nobody out. The first two runs scored when Brennan was hit by a pitch and Moonan drawing a bases-loaded free pass. After a fly out to shallow left for the first out, Tondi collected two more RBI with a single to left-center field, and McClure followed with a RBI single through the left side.

The Highlanders would score two in the sixth and one in the seventh, but it was not nearly enough, as FDU took the nightcap, 12-4.

McCann and Tondi each had three hits to lead the Knights' offense, with Tondi recording a career-high four RBI and McCann adding two RBI. Moonan and DeLeon both registered two safeties and two runs, while Brennan also came around to score twice.

Freshman Joe Flack (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's Boys) (1-6) finally had luck on his side on the mound, as he earned his first career victory. In 5.0 innings, he allowed one earned run on six hits, walked two and struck out two.

Matt Coughlin was charged with the loss on the bump, as FDU tagged him for seven earned runs on 10 hits in 4.0 innings.

The two sides were originally scheduled to play Sunday's doubleheader in Newark, N.J., but due to poor field conditions, the pair of seven-inning contests will now be played at the Naimoli Family Baseball Complex with NJIT being the home team. First pitch for game one is slated for 1 p.m.