Union, NJ – The University of Maine baseball team picked up the series opening win over NJIT on Friday evening, 5-4.
 
First Inning: Quinn McDaniel got the Black Bears going in a hurry as he hit a solo home run to center field to get the scoring going for Maine. The home run was his 11^th of the season.
 
Second Inning: Michael Doyle singled to center field to tie up the contest at 1-1.
 
Fifth Inning: Jake Rainess put the Black Bears back in front as he hit his 14^th home run of the season, a solo shot to left field.
 
Sixth Inning: Nick White made it 4-1 Black Bears as he hit a hard, two-run single to left field, scoring Jeremiah Jenkins (1B) and Connor Goodman (1B) on the play.
 
Matt McElwain caps off the three-run inning for the Black Bears as he singled to left field, scoring Nick White (1B) on the play.
 
Ray Ortiz got one back for NJIT as he hit a solo home run to center field.
 
Seventh Inning: Colton Carson was called on to begin the seventh inning on the mound for the Black Bears. Colin Fitzgerald turned in a quality start for Maine as he allowed 2 runs across 6 innings of work. He allowed 3 hits, 2 walks and struck out 3.
 
Eighth Inning: Holden de Jong began the eighth inning on the mound for NJIT. Ryan Fischer got roughed up a bit across his 7 innings of work as he allowed 5 runs on 10 hits, 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.
 
Luc Lavigueur began the eighth inning on the mound for the Black Bears. Carson fired off a perfect seventh inning as he allowed no runs no hits, no walks and 1 strikeout.
 
Austin Francis singled home a pair of runs on a single to right field to make it a one-run game at 5-4.
 
Justin Baeyens was called on with runners on first and third and two outs. Lavigueur allowed 2 runs on 1 hit, 2 walks, 1 hit batter and striking out 1 across 2/3 of the eighth inning.
 
Colin Fitzgerald (6-1) picked up the win for Maine.
 
Justin Baeyens (6) picked up the save for Maine as he allowed no runs and no base runners in his 1 and 1/3 innings of work.
 
Ryan Fischer (3-6) took the loss for NJIT.
 
Maine (25-18, 15-4 AE) is back in action on Saturday, May 13 for game two of the weekend series against NJIT. With a win and a Bryant loss, Maine can lock up a top-two seed for the America East Tournament.
 
-UMaine-