Feneis, Mattonelli Shutout Montclair State,
4-0
Little Falls, N.J. (4/18/07) - Junior righthander
Colin Feneis (Spotswood, N.J.) and sophomore
righthander Brandon Aich (Sayreville, N.J.)
combined on a six-hit shutout while sophomore leftfielder
Dan Mattonelli (Hamilton, N.J.) drove in three
runs as No. 5 Kean University blanked Montclair State, 4-0 in New
Jersey Athletic Conference baseball action at Yogi Berra Stadium on
Wednesday afternoon. The game, originally scheduled for Thursday,
April 12 in Union, was postponed twice before being moved to
Montclair State.
The victory was the Cougars fifth straight and 14th in the last
15 games as Kean improved to 22-4 on the year, 9-1 in the NJAC.
Kean also avenged its only league loss this season, a 2-1,
10-inning defeat at the hands of the Red Hawks at Yogi Berra
Stadium on March 29.
Rob Bowness (Sprata, N.J.) was 1-for-3 with a
double for Montclair State, which fell below the .500 mark at 13-14
overall, 6-5 in the NJAC.
The Red Hawks were unable to break through against Feneis, who
pitched out of two bases-loaded jams, including one in the first
inning. With two outs, Jeff Miller (Wyckoff, N.J.)
walked and Andrew Vicaro (Randolph, N.J.) singled.
After a wild pitch, Bowness was intentionally walked to load the
bases however Feneis fanned the next hitter to escape the inning.
Kean then got the only run it would need in the bottom of the
inning. Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.) led off
with a walk and moved to second on ground out before coming around
to score as Mattonelli slapped a single through the right side of
the infield for a 1-0 Cougar lead.
Kean would add to the lead in the third against Montclair starter
Tim Stringer (Annandale, N.J.) with three runs.
Joe D'Andrea (Hamilton, N.J.) singled and stole
second before De La Rosa drew a walk. Ryan Clark
(Livingston, N.J.) sacrificed the runners over and both
came home as Mattonelli, who was 2-for-3, laced a single down the
left field line giving the Cougars a 3-0 advantage. Perry
Schatzow (Ocean Township, N.J.) drove home the final run
with a single.
In the fourth, Montclair State threatened again, loading the
bases with no one out on a bunt single by Marc Palestina
(Paramus, N.J.), a fielding error and a walk. But Feneis
worked his way out of the jam without any damage as he retired the
next three hitters to keep Montclair State off the board. The Red
Hawks stranded 12 runners in the game and were 0-for-8 with runners
in scoring position.
The next inning Kean's defense provided the highlight as MSU was
again denied a scoring opportunity. After Miller walked to open the
inning, Bowness doubled down the left field line. Mattonelli made a
perfect relay to Schatzow, who then fired a strike to catcher
Derek Gianakis (Edison, N.J.) for the put out as
Kean kept its four-run lead in tact.
Feneis would go 6 2/3 innings allowing five hits, striking out
five and walking six as he upped his record to 3-0. Stringer (2-5)
suffered the loss allowing four runs and five hits in five innings.
Aich gave up a hit over the final eight outs (2 2/3 innings),
striking out three.
Kean will host Rutgers-Newark in an NJAC matchup on Thursday,
April 19th at Jim Hynes Field at 3:30 p.m.
