University of Maryland, Baltimore County

BALTIMORE -- Ehi Okojie went 3-for-4 with 6 RBI in the first four innings as the UMBC Baseball team blew out visiting NJIT, 17-6, in seven innings on Friday night.

UMBC (27-22, 14-9 AE) scored early and often, tallying five in the first, four in the second, one in each the third and fourth two in the fifth and four in the sixth. 

After a scoreless top of the first, the Retrievers got rolling early as the first five batters of the game all reached. Dylan Melton singled, Anthony Mascuilli walked and Danny Orr laid down a beautiful bunt for a single to load the bases. Okojie made it 2-0 when he smacked an 0-2 pitch down the right field line, and it became 3-0 when Danny Wyatt singled on the very next pitch. After a sacrifice bunt put two in scoring position, Brooks Henderson made it 4-0 on a sacrifice fly, and Wyatt would later score on an error to put the Dawgs up 5-0 after one inning.

The Highlanders got a run back in the second on a two-out solo homer, but UMBC would extend the lead to 9-1 in the bottom of the inning. Mascuilli hit a one out single and advanced to second when Orr reached on an error. Okojie then smashed a 3-0 pitch 421 feet over the wall in left field for his 12th homer of the season. After a pitching change, Wyatt reached on an error and eventually made it to third after a Derek Paris single and a Henderson walk. Kyle Eddington then scored Wyatt on a sacrifice fly to make it 9-1. 

After NJIT made it 9-2 in the top of the third, Okojie answered right back with an RBI double in the bottom half of the inning. Nolan Kutney made it 11-2 when hit a hit a pinch hit homer in the fourth, his first long ball of the season, and it became 13-2 in the sixth after Joe Lomangino scored Luke Buscaglia on a sacrifice fly, and Jesiah Carpenter followed with an RBI triple. 

The guests cut back into the lead with a two-out grand slam in the top of the sixth, but UMBC once again answered. Mascuilli was hit by a pitch to leadoff the inning, Orr singled and Jacob Bagania walked. Nico Ong then drove in a pair with a single to right, before Carpenter walked in a run with two outs later in the inning. The scoring concluded when Ong scored on a wild pitch. 

Zach Robinson improved to 6-3 on the season as he struck out six in 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on five hits. 10 different Retrievers picked up hits in the contest, as Orr joined Okojie with three hits, 

The final game of the regular season will be on Saturday at 1 p.m. with the senior ceremony slated for 12:30 pm. A UMBC win or Maine loss at UAlbany would clinch the No. 2 seed and a bye in next week's America East tournament.