Kean Sails Past Utica, 23-1

Union, N.J. (3/28/10) – The Kean University baseball team used a ten run first inning and never looked back as they defeated Utica College, 23-1, Sunday afternoon from a cold and rainy Jim Hynes Stadium.

Freshman Kevin Herget (Park Ridge, N.J.) earned his second win of the season for Kean (12-5).  He allowed just two hits and one walk in six innings of work.  Herget (pictured right) also fanned eight.

The Cougars came out of the gate firing, as sophomore D.J. Breckenridge (Fair Haven, N.J.) reached first after being hit by a pitch.  He quickly stole second and scored on a Steve Giambrone (Roebling, N.J.) double.  After back-to-back walks by Dave Zavistoski (Edison, N.J.) and Ken Gregory (Pittstown, N.J.) to load the bases, junior Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) roped a two RBI double to right-center.  Junior Kyle Walker (Piscataway, N.J.) followed with an RBI single and quickly Kean was up 4-0.  The inning continued, and Gregory closed out the scoring in his second at-bat of the frame with a two RBI single.

Utica (2-6) scored their only run of the contest in the top of the ninth as Russ Haentges (Cowlesville, N.Y.) led off with a double.  After moving to third on a wild pitch, he would score on a groundout.

Offensively, Nolan (pictured left) was 3-for-4 with three RBI, four runs scored and two doubles while Walker was 3-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored.  Freshman David Goodman (Edison, N.J.) was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored while Giambrone was 2-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored.

Kean returns to action on Tuesday when they travel to take on Widener University at 3:30 p.m.