Baseball

Cupido Leads Kean Past FDU-Florham, 6-1

Union, N.J. (3/10/08) - Senior Andy Cupido (South Plainfield, N.J.) tossed six and two thirds innings of shutout ball to pick up his first win of the season as Kean University defeated visiting FDU-Florham, 6-1, Monday afternoon at Jim Hynes Stadium.

With the win the Cougars improve to 6-2 overall while the Devils open up the 2008 season with their first loss.

Kean got things started in the bottom of the fourth as shortstop Mike Moceri (Yardville, N.J.) (pictured right) led off the inning with a single.  Senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) followed that with a double down the rightfield line to place runners at second and third with no outs.  With one out, freshman Jared Orgel (East Hanover, N.J.) recorded his first collegiate hit with a single to centerfield to drive in two.

KU sealed the game in the bottom of the seventh as senior Ryan Clark (Livingston, N.J.) drove home outfielder Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) who reached on a double.  Catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) continued his consistent hitting with an RBI double to put the score at 4-0.  The inning continued as senior Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.) got aboard with a bunt single to put runners on the corners with one out.  Senior Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) placed a perfect bunt near the pitchers mound to bring home O'Neill and give the Cougars a 5-0 lead.  Moceri rounded out the scoring by driving in De La Rosa with an RBI single to right-center.

The Devils got their only run of the afternoon in the top of the ninth as Anthony Foster (Hamilton, N.J.) drove home Marc Hubbert (Freehold, N.J.) who reached on a ground-rule double.

Cupido (1-0) fanned seven and walked four in his first win of the season.  Sophomore Bobby Tretola (Union, N.J.) picked up his first save of the season as he entered the game in the top of the seventh with just a 2-0 cushion.  He tossed two and a third innings allowing one run and two hits while striking out one.

Offensively Orgel (pictured left) was 2-for-4 with two RBI while Moceri finished the afternoon with a 2-for-4 performance.

The Cougars will continue their home stretch before heading out to sunny California by taking on the Cyclones of Centenary College on Tuesday, March 11^th at 3 p.m.