Baseball

Aich Seals Win as Kean Defeats Stevens, 6-5

Hoboken, N.J. (2/27/08) - Junior relief pitcher Brandon Aich (Sayreville, N.J.) picked up his first win of the season, fanning seven batters while senior catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) was 3-for-4 with a solo shot as third ranked Kean University opened the 2008 season by defeating Stevens Institute of Technology, 6-5, Wednesday afternoon.

The Ducks (1-3) picked up the game's first run in the bottom of the second, but the Cougars (1-0) quickly responded in their next at-bat as senior Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) tied things up with a single to rightfield.  Senior Dan Mattonelli (Hamilton, N.J.) broke the game open with a two RBI single up the middle. 

KU then added to their lead in the fourth as O'Neill led off the inning with his first homerun of the year to give Kean a 5-1 advantage.

Stevens then made things interesting in their half of the seventh with a bases-loaded two RBI single to pull within one and later in the inning scoring on a wild pitch to tie the game at five.

In the top of the eighth, O'Neill again provided a spark with a one-out single to give the Cougars the lead for good.  Aich closed the door by striking out the final six batters of the game to seal the win.

Senior Tom Paglione (Hamilton, N.J.) (pictured left) suffered a tough no-decision after tossing six innings allowing just one earned run.  He also fanned seven and walked just one.

Kean returns to action on Friday, February 29^th when they take on ninth ranked Eastern Connecticut State University at 2 p.m.