Baseball
#8 Kean Pushes Past #18 Redlands, 9-6
Redlands, Calif. (3/18/08) - The #8 Kean
University baseball team pounded out 18 hits en route to their
tenth win of the season as they defeated #18 University of
Redlands, 9-6, Tuesday afternoon.
Senior outfielder Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) was 3-for-5 with a triple while senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) (pictured right) was 3-for-5 with an RBI as KU improved to 10-3 overall. With the loss the Bulldogs fall to 14-7.
It was a see-saw affair for most of the game as Redlands jumped on board with two runs in the bottom of the first. The Cougars regained the lead in the top of the fourth as senior Dan Mattonelli (Hamilton, N.J.) singled home sophomore Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) who reached on a leadoff double. Later in the inning with two outs and the bases loaded, seniors Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.) and Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) drew RBI walks to give KU a 3-2 lead.
After tacking on two more runs in the top of the fifth, on a sacrifice fly by catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) and an RBI triple by Ammirata, the Bulldogs evened the score with three runs in the bottom of the same inning.
Kean took the lead for good as they scored two runs in the top of
the sixth. De La Rosa (pictured left) led off the inning with
a walk and proceeded to swipe his 53rd career stolen
base for a new KU record. Burke singled home De La Rosa and
after Burke proceeding to grab a base of his own, Gianakas knocked
him in with a double down the leftfield line.
After the Bulldogs pulled within one, the Cougars closed the door with two more insurance runs in the top of the eighth.
Offensively, infielder Chris Carrano (Lincoln Park, N.J.) was 2-for-4 while freshman Mike Moceri (Yardville, N.J.) was 3-for-5 with two runs scored.
On the mound, reliever Matt Grinkevich (Allentown, N.J.) (1-0) earned the win. He tossed one and a third innings and allowed one earned run to go along with three hits and one walk. Junior Drew Campbell (Hillsborough, N.J.) earned his second save of the year as he threw three innings of shutout ball allowing just two hits.
KU returns to action on Wednesday, March 19th when they face Whittier College.