NEWTON, Mass. (Interstat) — NJIT Highlanders held off a furious Boston College Eagles rally to win the first game of a doubleheader 8-7 on Sunday at Eddie Pellagrini Diamond at John Shea Field.

The Highlanders improved to 16-28-1 overall, while the Eagles fell to 36-17.

NJIT jumped ahead in the top of the first inning when third baseman Rowin O’Connor launched a solo home run. The Highlanders added two more runs in the second inning. Catcher Cole Campbell homered to left field, and shortstop Sheehan O’Connor singled up the middle to drive in first baseman Dillon Can, who had singled earlier in the frame.

Boston College answered in the bottom of the third. Center fielder Ben Williams walked, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Wang.

The Eagles took the lead in the fourth. First baseman Kyle Wolff led off with a solo home run. Right fielder Colin Larson followed with a triple that plated Williams, who had singled and stolen second. Shortstop Solier then drove in Larson with a groundout, giving Boston College a 4-3 advantage.

NJIT responded emphatically in the top of the fifth. After a hit by pitch and a single, Campbell singled to center to score a run and tie the game. Third baseman Levin followed with an RBI single, putting the Highlanders back ahead. With two outs and two on, Can crushed a three-run homer to left field, stretching the lead to 8-4.

Boston College cut into the deficit in the bottom half of the inning. With the bases loaded, Williams hit a two-run double down the right-field line, scoring two and making it 8-6.

That brought reliever Tade Riorden into the game for NJIT. Riorden entered with two outs in the fifth and retired the next batter to end the threat. He then worked through the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, allowing only one unearned run – in the sixth, when a wild pitch and a single led to a run – while striking out two and giving up no hits. Riorden earned the win in his longest outing of the season, covering 4 1/3 innings.

The Eagles threatened in the ninth, putting the tying run on base with a two-out walk, but a groundout ended the game.

Can finished 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Campbell went 2 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs. Rowin O’Connor was 2 for 5 with a homer and an RBI, and Sheehan O’Connor went 2 for 3 with an RBI.

For Boston College, Williams had two hits and two RBIs. Larson collected two hits and an RBI, and Wolff homered. Eagles starter Gonzalez pitched 4 2/3 innings of relief, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out four, but took a no-decision.

NJIT starter Josh Willitts worked 4 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on no hits and five walks while striking out three.

The game featured 13 hits for NJIT and eight for Boston College. The series is scheduled to conclude with the second game of the doubleheader Sunday afternoon. No betting line or over-under information was available.