The UMBC Baseball team will look to earn a top two seed and a bye in the America East tournament as it concludes the regular season by hosting NJIT for a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6 p.m. Senior Day ceremonies will take place on Saturday prior to a 1 p.m. first pitch.

UMBC (25-22, 12-9) currently sits in second place in the America East standings. A sweep would clinch the two-seed and a bye to the double elimination portion of the playoffs, while a sweep combined with a UMass Lowell sweep of Binghamton would earn the Dawgs a share of the regular season title (but still the No.2 seed). The Retrievers need at least one win to clinch a top 3 seed.

Probable Starters

G1: Eddie Sargent LHP | 4-2, 4.16 ERA, 34 K, 62.2 IP    
       vs Mark Scamardella RHP | 3-2, 3.49 ERA, 62 K, 21 BB, 59.1 IP

G2: Zach Robinson RHP | 5-3, 4.16 ERA, 39 K, 17 BB, 62.2 IP
        vs Josh Willitts RHP | 1-7, 5.40 ERA, 52 K, 33 BB, 66.2 IP

G3: Sergio Droz RHP | 1-3, 4.76 ERA, 32 K, 20 BB, 34.0 IP
        vs  Brandon Peterson RHP | 2-3, 31 K, 23 BB, 39.0 IP

Last time out,  Nico Ong hit his first homer of the season, but UMBC fell at Towson, 9-8, on Tuesday after a two-out walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the ninth.

Dylan Melton singled and scored on an error in the first, but Towson (21-30) responded with a three-run homer in the bottom of the inning to go up 3-1. The leads was 4-1 in the fourth when Jesiah Carpenter drove in a run on a grounder, Joe Lomangino ripped an RBI single and Ong followed with a three run blast to put UMBC (25-22) up 6-4. Henderson added a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Okojie made it 8-5 in the ninth with an RBI single, but the tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and walked-it off on a 3-2 pitch.

Aidan Boice had the best performance of his career, entering int he second inning and tossing 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and a walk. Ong and Danny Orr wach had two-hit games for the Retrievers, while Carpenter, Anthony Mascuilli and Derek Paris also added hits. 

Scouting NJIT:

The NJIT baseball team upset No. 22 Boston College in game one of a double header, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon to secure the program's first ranked win since the 2018 season.

Game 1: NJIT 8, No. 22 Boston College 7
The Highlanders wasted little time taking control as Rowin O'Connor launched a solo home run to left field in the top of the first inning, giving the Highlanders an early 1-0 lead.

The Highlanders added two more runs in the second when Cole Campbell opened the frame with a solo homer before Dillon Can singled and later scored on an RBI base hit from Sheehan O'Connor, extending the advantage to 3-0.

The Eagles answered with a run in the third on a sacrifice fly and then took their first lead of the game plating three more runs to take the lead, 4-3.

In the fifth inning, Austin Francis was hit by a pitch to start the rally before Rowin O'Connor singled through the right side. Campbell tied the game with an RBI single, and Brody Levin followed with an RBI base hit to put the Highlanders back in front, 5-4. Two batters later, Can crushed a three-run home run to left field, capping the five-run frame and extending the Highlanders' lead to 8-4.

The Eagles chipped away in the bottom half of the inning with a double and added another run in the sixth on a single to trim the deficit to 8-7.

After starter Josh Willitts allowed six runs over 4.2 innings, Tade Riordan entered and delivered 4.1 strong innings out of the bullpen to earn the victory. Riordan allowed just one run on three hits while striking out two and retiring the Eagles in order in both the seventh and eighth innings.

The Highlanders' offense was powered by multi-hit performances from Rowin O'Connor, Campbell, Camilleri, Can and Sheehan O'Connor. Can drove in a game-high three runs with his fifth-inning homer, while Campbell added two hits and two RBIs. Rowin O'Connor finished with two hits, including his sixth home run of the season.

This is the first ranked win for the program since 2018 when the Highlanders took down No.25 ranked Jacksonville, 3-2, on April 29th.

Game 2: No. 22 Boston College 6, NJIT 3

In game two of the double header, the Eagles scored twice in the first inning before the Highlanders answered in the fourth with back-to-back solo home runs from O'Connor and Conner Rippo to even the game at 2-2.

The Highlanders took its only lead in the fifth inning when Nick Vega and Sheehan O'Connor opened the frame with singles before O'Connor delivered an RBI single to center, putting the Highlanders ahead 3-2.

The Eagles responded with a three-run bottom of the fifth to regain the lead and added an insurance run in the sixth.

The Highlanders finished with 11 hits, led by Rowin O'Connor, who went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs. Rippo added a solo homer, while Connor Klock recorded two hits.

Peterson struck out four in 4.2 innings, and Becker Sybirski tossed 2.1 scoreless innings in relief with two strikeouts.