Baseball
Kean Sweeps TCNJ, 3-0 & 6-1; Claims NJAC Regular Season Crown
Union, N.J. (4/26/08) - Sophomore Joe Bartlinski (South Amboy, N.J.) and senior Tom Paglione (Hamilton, N.J.) each earned wins as Kean University swept visiting The College of New Jersey, 3-0 and 6-1, Saturday afternoon in the New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season finale for both.
After all was said and done, the Cougars claimed their second straight conference regular season title as Montclair State and Rowan split late in the evening on Saturday, to give KU sole possession of first place. The Cougars will face #6 Richard Stockton on Thursday, May 1st at 3:30 p.m.
With the sweep the Cougars improve to 30-9 and 14-4 in the always competitive NJAC. The Lions fall to 28-8 overall and 12-6 in conference action.
Game One (Kean 3, TCNJ 0)
Kean got the only run they would need in the bottom of the first
without the aid of a hit. Senior Maikel De La Rosa
(Newark, N.J.) (pictured right) got things going with a
leadoff walk. After a successful sacrifice, De La Rosa stole
third. Senior Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.)
then grounded out to bring in De La Rosa.
Kean added two more in the third as De La Rosa and senior Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.) led off the inning with back-to-back walks. Later in the inning senior Derek Gianakas (Edison, N.J.) recorded an RBI after reaching on an error. Another Lions miscue forced in Ammirata for the final of 3-0.
Bartlinski (6-2) picked up his second complete game win of the season. He allowed five hits (all singles) while also fanning five and walking two in the shutout.
Senior Mike Oliver (Crosswicks, N.J.) suffered his first loss of the season for TCNJ. Oliver (5-1) allowed three runs, two earned, in the complete game effort. He walked seven and struck out three.
Game Two (Kean 6, TCNJ 1)
Kean scored all six runs in the bottom of the first with five hits
and the help of two TCNJ miscues. After reaching on a leadoff
single, De La Rosa advanced to second on a sacrifice.
Ammirata followed that with an RBI single. Later in the
inning with the bases loaded, designated hitter Dan
Mattonelli (Hamilton, N.J.) brought across the game's
second run with an RBI fielders choice. Sophomore
Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) punched a two RBI single
through the left side and catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union,
N.J.) (pictured left) rounded out the scoring with a two
RBI single of his own.
TCNJ broke up the shutout with a single run in the top of the eighth. Senior Bill Kropp (Pottstown, Pa.) lined out to centerfield for the sacrifice and RBI, driving in shortstop Jeff Toth (Parlin, N.J.) who reached on a single.
Paglione (4-0) picked up the win after allowing no runs and six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out one and walked three. Southpaw Bob Buskett (Trenton, N.J.) suffered the loss for the Lions. Buskett (5-2) allowed six runs, three earned, in the complete game effort. He allowed seven hits while striking out three and walking two.
Offensively De La Rosa and O'Neill each had two hits for the Cougars while Toth and teammate Dave Mebs (Cinnaminson, N.J.) had two apiece for the Lions.
The Cougars will square off in the NJAC Tournament beginning on Thursday, May 1st here at Jim Hynes Stadium at 3:30 p.m. against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.