Baseball Opens Renovated Stadium With Shutout Victory

UNION, N.J. (3/7/08) - Senior right-hander Tom Paglione (Hamilton, N.J.) tossed six shutout innings allowing just one hit while sophomore designated hitter Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) belted a solo homer as 11th-ranked Kean University blanked Albright College, 6-0 at the newly-refurbished Jim Hynes Stadium in the team's official home opener on Friday afternoon.

Bryan Burke (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), Maikel De La Rosa (Newark, N.J.), and Michael Moceri (Yarville, N.J.) each had two hits as the Cougars improved to 3-2.

Sophomore Shane Stein (New Ringgold, Pa.) had the lone hit for Albright, which was playing its season opener.

Paglione (1-0) surrendered just a two-out single in the bottom of the second as he picked up his first win of the season. He struck out six and did not walk a batter as he threw 66 pitches, 46 for strikes.

Kean got the only runs it would need when Kevin O'Neill (Union, N.J.) lined a double to lead off the bottom of the third inning. De La Rosa singled in the infield to put runners at the corners and O'Neill would score as the throw down to second to get De La Rosa stealing went into centerfield. After De La Rosa took third on the overthrow, Eric Ammirata (Hamilton, N.J.) lofted a sacrifice fly for the second run.

The Cougars would add four more runs in the sixth before the game was called. Nolan (pictured right) led with a solo shot down the left field line for his second round-tripper of the season and a 3-0 Kean advantage.

Jared Orgel (East Hanover, N.J.) reached on an error and Burke executed a perfect hit-and-run with Orgel going to third. After Burke stole second, Chris Carrano (Lincoln Park, N.J.) singled home Orgel and O'Neil's sacrifice fly brought home Burke as Kean led 5-0. Carrano scored the final run as he came home on a passed ball.

Sophomore right-hander Casey Lawrence (McSherrytown, Pa.) took the loss. Lawrence went the first five innings and allowed two runs and six hits, while striking out seven and walking one.