BOX SCORE (PDF) | POSTGAME NOTES | POSTGAME QUOTES
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -
Spenser Smith went 2-for-3,
Max Viera homered and
Ian Fair drove in a run, but the comeback fell just short as Northeastern (36-12) dropped a tough 3-2 decision to NJIT (27-23) in an elimination game of the NCAA Fayetteville Regional on Saturday at Baum-Walker Stadium.
Danny Crossen sent a long drive to left field in the ninth, but the tying bid was a foot shy from going over the fence as the Huskies end their season with a single-season school record tying 36 wins.
Right-handed pitcher
Cam Schlittler (8-1) dropped his first decision of his young career, working 3.1 innings, allowing four hits, two runs and struck out two. RHP
David Stiehl tossed 2.0 scoreless innings in relief and RHP
Brandon Dufault tossed a scoreless eighth inning for Northeastern.
NJIT's Ryan Fischer threw 7.0 strong innings, scattering four hits, one run and struck out four. Nick Hussey and Jared Donnelly each went 2-for-3 to lead the Highlanders at the dish.
NJIT scored the game's first run on a passed ball in the third inning and added runs in the fourth and fifth innings to lead 3-0. The Huskies loaded the bases in the seventh inning with one out, and Fair laced a line drive to right field to score
Jared Dupere. In the eighth, NU's Viera clobbered his sixth home run of the season to left field to bring the Huskies within one, 3-2.
With one out in the ninth, Crossen then connected on a long fly ball that looked like it was going to leave the yard to tie the game, but the NJIT left fielder caught it at the wall and NJIT's Jake Rappaport recorded the final out of the game on a fly ball to right field to earn his 11th save of the season.
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