ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Albany’s Dylan Banner pitched seven shutout innings and Levi McAllister delivered a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Great Danes past NJIT 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field.

The game was a pitchers’ duel from the start. NJIT starter Mark Scamardella was dominant, tossing eight innings of no-hit baseball, striking out seven and walking none. He retired the first 14 batters he faced before Luke Filippi broke up the no-hit bid with a one-out single in the third inning. Scamardella allowed only two hits in his eight innings of work, both singles, and did not permit a runner to reach second base until the seventh inning. He faced 28 batters, inducing 12 groundouts and seven flyouts.

Banner matched Scamardella’s brilliance. He allowed three hits in seven innings, striking out four and walking two. He worked out of a jam in the fifth inning when NJIT put runners at second and third with two outs, but he got Ty Sallie to line out to right field. Banner retired the side in order in the second, fourth and sixth innings. In the seventh, Jack Stead singled and Dillon Can singled to put runners at the corners with one out, but Banner induced a double play to end the threat.

Albany reliever Christian Mello pitched two scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one, to keep the game scoreless into the bottom of the ninth.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the ninth inning. NJIT brought in Becker Sybirski to relieve Scamardella. Sybirski faced five batters without recording an out. Michael Maggio led off with a single up the middle. Patrick DeSarno walked, and Tre Mariano singled to center to load the bases. McAllister then singled to right field, driving in Maggio with the game’s only run. Sybirski was charged with the loss, allowing one earned run on three hits and a walk.

NJIT stranded 10 runners, including two in scoring position in the seventh inning. Stead finished 2-for-3 with a walk, and Can was 1-for-4. Conner Rippo walked three times. The Highlanders had their best scoring chance in the ninth inning against Mello. Stead walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. After a groundout, Rippo walked to put two on with two outs, but Sheehan O’Connor struck out looking to end the inning.

For Albany, Filippi went 2-for-3 with a single and a stolen base caught. Mariano was 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. McAllister went 1-for-4 with the RBI. Jaxon Mueller was 1-for-3. The Great Danes collected seven hits, all singles, and left eight runners on base.

The series between the America East rivals went to Albany after NJIT won the opener Friday afternoon 7-5. Albany had taken two of three in the earlier series March 20-22 in Newark. Saturday’s result left NJIT at 13-24 overall and Albany at 12-21.

Scamardella’s performance was his best of the season. Banner rebounded from a rough start April 18 against Siena, when he allowed six earned runs in four innings. He threw 87 pitches Saturday, 56 for strikes.

The game was the second of a three-game series. The teams were scheduled to conclude the series Sunday afternoon at Varsity Field. NJIT was set to face Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday, while Albany was to host Marist on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of NJIT 5, Albany 4. Interstat’s ELO system had given NJIT a 53.20 percent probability to win.