Baseball

Kean Sweeps La Verne, 6-1 & 11-8

La Verne, Calif. (3/15/08) - Sophomore Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) belted two doubles and a homerun as #10 Kean University swept host University of La Verne, 6-1 and 11-8 Saturday afternoon in the first day of their California spring trip.

Senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) was a combined 4-for-6 with a double and monster homerun as Kean improved to 9-2 overall.  The losses drop the Leopards to 8-8-1.

Game One

In a seven inning affair, the Cougars put the game away by plating two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings for the final of 6-1.

In the sixth senior Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.) (pictured left) provided an RBI single while catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) lined a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Joe Bartlinski (South Amboy, N.J.) earned his third win of the season after the complete game outing.  He allowed just one run and two hits while fanning eight and walking two.

Game Two

After some strange California weather (rain, lightning and hail) KU picked up their ninth win in a shortened game in the top of the ninth inning.

KU jumped on the board with three runs in the top of the first.  Senior Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) recorded his fourth triple of the season to begin the spark.  Freshman Jared Orgel (East Hanover, N.J.) (pictured right) also registered a two out, two RBI single. 

After both teams tacked on runs through the next six innings, La Verne finally closed the gap and tied things up with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to knot the game at seven-all.

After reaching on a walk, Burke then moved around the bases aided by a wild pitch and two stolen bases.  Nolan then brought across what would be the winning run with an RBI double.

After waiting out their second delay of the game, this time for hail, KU tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth, before the game was called for poor field conditions with one out.

Offensively Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) was 3-for-5 while Burke finished game two with a 1-for-4 performance including three runs scored.

Junior Drew Campbell (Hillsborough, N.J.) earned the win in relief.  Campbell (1-0) tossed one inning allowing two runs and two hits.

The Cougars return to action on Sunday evening as they take on #1 Chapman University at 7 p.m. local time.