Cougars Earn First NJAC Win; Defeat Stockton, 5-3

Union, N.J. (4/1/10) – Senior Nick Cesare (South Plainfield, N.J.) recorded his second complete game win as Kean defeated Richard Stockton College, 5-3, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) opener for both Thursday afternoon.

Cesare (4-0) (pictured right) allowed two earned runs as well as eight hits as Kean improved to 13-5 overall and 1-0 in the NJAC.  Sophomore Zach Brebner (Toms River, N.J.) suffered the loss.  Brebner (1-4) allowed all five runs in six innings of work as Richard Stockton fell to 10-9 overall, 0-1 NJAC.

The Ospreys struck first with three runs in the top of the third.  Freshman Barry Larro (Cedarville, N.J.) led off the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Nick Scalise (Northfield, N.J.) who reached first on an errant throw by Cesare.  Jason Gordon (Brick, N.J.) then doubled to drive in the game's first run.  Senior Chris Discher (Cherry Hill, N.J.) followed that with an RBI single and the Ospreys closed out the scoring with an RBI groundout.

The Cougars knotted the game at three in the bottom of the same inning as sophomore Vinny Galya (Old Bridge, N.J.) led off with a single and quickly advanced to second on a steal.  Later in the inning senior Mike Moceri (Yardville, N.J.) drove him home with an RBI single and junior Ken Gregory (Pittstown, N.J.) followed with an RBI groundout.  Junior Nick Nolan (Linden, N.J.) rounded out the scoring with an RBI triple.

Kean scored what would be the winning run in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore Dylan Laguna (Edison, N.J.) (pictured left) recorded a two out RBI infield single.

KU tacked on another single run in the fifth as sophomore Lee Cavico (North Brunswick, N.J.) registered an RBI single.

Kean continues NJAC action as they travel to take on Rowan University on Friday at 1 p.m.