LITTLE FALLS, N.J. –
Kaden Hilburger tossed 8.0 scoreless and
Justin Hackett drove in three runs as the Bryant baseball team shutout NJIT, 4-0, to open the series Friday night at Yogi Berra Stadium.
With the win, the Bulldogs improve to 23-19 overall and 11-8 in America East. Bryant has won each of its last four America East games. Game two of the series will be Saturday night at 6:00 p.m.
Hilburger turned in his third-straight start of 8.0 innings on Friday night, scattering seven hits and striking out two without a walk.
Aidan Vining pitched a perfect ninth to close out Bryant's first shutout of the season.
Hackett provided all the offense Bryant would need with a two-out, two-run home run in the second.
Game Information
Bryant 4, NJIT 0
Records: Bryant 23-19, 11-8 | NJIT 14-25-1, 5-14
Location: Yogi Berra Stadium (Little Falls, N.J.)
W|L|S: Kaden Hilburger (3-2) | Willitts
Key Moment
- Hackett gave Bryant the early lead with an opposite field two-run home run in the second.
How it Happened
- Bryant got on the board in the second thanks to a two-out rally. Mike Fiatarone started the rally as he lined a two-out double to center field. Hackett then stepped to the plate and lifted a first pitch fastball just over the right field wall for a two-run home run.
- The Black and Gold extended its lead in the fourth on an RBI ground out from Hackett.
- Hilburger did the rest as he scattered seven hits over 8.0 scoreless innings. He allowed back-to-back two-out hits in the second but rebounded to allow just four baserunners the rest of the night.
- Bryant added an insurance run in the eighth with another two-out rally as Greger singled up the middle and scored from first as Charlie Saul doubled down the left field line.
- Aidan Vining pitched a perfect ninth to close it out.
Inside the Box Score
- Bryant and NJIT each finished with seven hits.
- Hilburger allowed seven hits, didn't walk a batter and struck out three over 8.0 scoreless innings.
- Vining picked up a strikeout in a scoreless ninth.
- Hackett homered and drove in three runs.
- Gavin Greger had two hits and scored twice.
- Hunter Kingsbury, Fiatarone and Saul all doubled for the Bulldogs.
- Bryant's top two hitters, Casey Wensley and Ellis Garcia, went a combined 0-for-8 with three strikeouts.
- NJIT's Josh Willitts allowed four runs on seven hits, walked one and struck out five over 8.0 innings.
Game Notes
- Bryant is now 11-6 against NJIT and has won 3-of-4 games this season.
- The Bulldogs are now 3-4 against NJIT on the road.
- Bryant has won each of its last four America East games, all on the road.
- Bryant is now 9-11 over its last 20 games and is 4-4 on its 11-game road trip.
- The Bulldogs posted their first shutout of 2026 and first shutout since last May at UMBC.
- Greger posted his 46th career multi-hit game. He has multiple hits in each of his last three games. Greger is 6-for-12 in those three games.
- Hackett's home run was his seventh of the season and his 5th in the last 12 games.
- Kingsbury has doubled in each of Bryant's two games this week and has nine on the year.
- Saul picked up his 10th double of the season and his 34th RBI.
- Four of Fiatarone's six hits in America East play have been doubles.
- Hilburger has now thrown 8.0 innings in each of his last three starts. He is the first Bulldog since Peter Kelich in 2012 to throw at least 8.0 innings in three consecutive starts. Kelich threw a complete game shutout at LIU Brooklyn on March 30, 8.0 innings vs CCSU on April 5 and a CG shutout vs Sacred Heart on April 13. He would go on to throw 7.0 innings in his next start and 9.0 more against FDU.
- Vining has recorded 4.0 scoreless innings over his last three outings.
Up Next
Bryant and NJIT continue their series on Saturday night with a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.
