Whittier, Calif. (3/17/11) – Austin Strauss singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Whittier College at 6-5 win over Kean in the final game of their west coast swing on Thursday afternoon.
Kean falls to 11-3 overall while the Poets improve to 10-10 this season.
The Cougars scored the game's first run in the top of the first as junior Vinny Galya, who reached on a first-pitch leadoff double, scored after junior Lee Cavico doubled him home.
The Whittier bats came alive in the sixth as they plated five runs for a 5-1 lead. The Poets had four hits in the frame, including a three-run homerun from Nathan Mendez.
Kean quickly answered with three runs in the top of the seventh as pinch-hitter Sean Kelly (pictured left) launched his first homerun of the year, a three-run shot. The Cougars would tie the game in the top of the ninth as Ken Gregory, who battled through a 17 pitch at-bat, hit a two-out RBI single.
Offensively Gregory was 3-for-5 while Cavico was 2-for-5.
Kean returns home to New Jersey and will face Keystone College on Sunday at 1 p.m.
