Baseball
#1 Kean Edges #3 TCNJ, 5-4
Newark, N.J. (5/3/08) - Sophomore Joe Bartlinski (South Amboy, N.J.) tossed his fourth complete game of the season as #1 Kean University edged #3 The College of New Jersey, 5-4, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament Saturday afternoon at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium in Newark, N.J.
The loss for the Lions (28-10) eliminates them from the NJAC
Tournament, after winning the same event for the past three
seasons. Kean improves to 32-9 with the win and will advance
to take on the winner of the #4 Rowan/#5 William Paterson game on
Sunday, May 4th at 10 a.m.
TCNJ got things going first with a two spot in the bottom of the second as senior Rich Gawlak (Plainsboro, N.J.) got his first homerun of the season, a two run shot to right.
Kean responded with three runs in the top of the fourth as sophomore Mike Moceri (Yardville, N.J.) (pictured right) hit a one-out RBI single. Freshman Gabe Ramirez (North Bergen, N.J.) put the Cougars ahead with a two-out, two RBI single through the right side.
Kean added insurance in the top of the fifth as sophomore Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) lined a sacrifice fly. Sophomore Chris Carrano (Lincoln Park, N.J.) followed with an RBI single to right to put KU ahead, 5-2.
The Lions rallied for two runs in their half of the fifth as senior
Matt Barrett (Pennington, N.J.) scored on a bases-loaded
wild pitch and junior Vince Mazzacarro (Gloucester, N.J.)
recorded an RBI fielders choice.
Bartlinski and the defense shut the door from there, as Bartlinski tallied four strikeouts the rest of the way.
Bartlinski (7-2) allowed seven hits and three earned runs while striking out five and walking five in the win. Senior Mike Oliver (Crosswicks, N.J.) suffered his second straight loss to the Cougars after allowing five runs, three earned, in eight and a third innings of work. Oliver (5-2) also walked six and fanned three.
Offensively catcher Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) (pictured left) was 3-for-4 while Carrano was 2-for-4 for the Cougars. Junior Adam Tussey (Brooklawn, N.J.) was 3-for-5 for the Lions.