CATONSVILLE (Interstat) — Ehi Okojie drove in six runs, including a three-run homer, to lead Maryland-Baltimore County to a 17-6 victory over NJIT on Friday night at Alumni Field.

The Retrievers improved to 25-22 overall and 16-30 in America East play after their second straight win over the Highlanders. NJIT fell to 16-30-1.

Okojie went 3 for 4 with a double, a home run and six RBI. He singled in two runs during a five-run first inning and added the three-run homer in the second that expanded the lead.

Zach Robinson earned the win, allowing four earned runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out six.

Nick Vega homered for NJIT, a grand slam in the sixth inning that pulled the Highlanders within 13-6. Vega finished 1 for 2 with four RBI. Dillon Can also homered for NJIT, a solo shot in the second inning.

UMBC took control early. After NJIT went down in order in the top of the first, the Retrievers strung together five runs on four hits and a sacrifice fly. Dylan Melton singled and scored on Okojie’s two-run single. Danny Orr scored on a single by Danny Wyatt, and Okojie scored on a sacrifice fly by Brooks Henderson. Kyle Eddington’s single and a throwing error by third baseman Connor Klock brought home Wyatt for a 5-0 lead.

NJIT answered in the second when Can homered to center field, cutting the deficit to 5-1.

UMBC struck back in the bottom of the second. Anthony Mascuilli singled, Danny Orr reached on an error and Okojie followed with a three-run homer to left-center field, making it 8-1. Wyatt reached on another error, Derek Paris singled, and Eddington’s sacrifice fly plated Wyatt to push the lead to 9-1.

The Highlanders got a run back in the third. Ty Sallie tripled and scored on Lorenzo Camilleri’s sacrifice fly, making it 9-2.

UMBC added a run in the third on Okojie’s double that scored Melton, then Nolan Kutney pinch-hit and homered in the fourth for an 11-2 advantage.

The Retrievers tacked on two more in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Joe Lomangino and a triple by Jesiah Carpenter that scored Henderson.

Trailing 13-2, NJIT mounted a rally in the sixth. Cole Campbell walked, Austin Francis singled and Dillon Can was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Vega then launched a grand slam to right field, cutting the UMBC lead to 13-6.

UMBC answered immediately in the bottom of the sixth. Mascuilli was hit by a pitch, Orr singled and Jacob Bagania walked to load the bases. Nico Ong singled in two runs, and Carpenter walked with the bases loaded to force in another. A wild pitch brought home another run, and the Retrievers led 17-6.

Talon Mihalinac pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief for NJIT, striking out one. Tate Jones and Tyler Kim also worked scoreless frames for the Highlanders.

The game was the second of a three-game series, with the finale scheduled for Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Maryland-Baltimore County 5, NJIT 3, and the ELO system gave the Retrievers a 57.40 percent probability to win.