Union, N.J. (5/13/11) – The Kean
University baseball team split in their final regular season
matchup of 2011 as they fell to Farmingdale State College, 3-2, in
the opener and defeated the Rams, 14-2, in the nightcap from Jim
Hynes Stadium on Friday afternoon.
Senior Ken Gregory was a combined 5-for-7 with
two homeruns and four runs scored for the Cougars whose record now
stands at 36-8 while the Rams stand with a 25-14 record and have
two games left on their regular season schedule as they will face
off against Ithaca College on Saturday in a doubleheader.
Game One
Farmingdale jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second as
they loaded the bases with one out on two singles and a walk.
Junior Ryan McAllister delivered an RBI single and senior
Frank Yera added an RBI infield single to put the Rams
ahead. FSC added what would be the winning run in the top of
the sixth as they pushed across a run all with two outs.
Junior Danny DeVito got things going with a two-out single
and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He would move to
third on a McAllister single and Yera recorded his second RBI of
the game with another single to put the Rams up 3-0.
Kean answered with a single run in the bottom of the seventh as
sophomore Stephen Nappe lined a two-out double off
the wall to score Gregory who reached on a leadoff single.
Gregory then inched the Cougars closer as he led off the ninth with
a solo homerun, his tenth of the year, to put the score at
3-2. Southpaw J.R. Lott then entered the game and
was able to get out of the game with the 3-2 win.
Reliever Matt De Ramo earned the win for
Farmingdale. De Ramo (1-0) tossed three innings allowing just
one run and four hits. Lott earned his third save of the year
as he threw two thirds of an inning allowing just one walk.
Junior Mike Russo suffered his first loss for
Kean. Russo (9-1) allowed two runs and five hits in a
predetermined three innings of work.
Junior Vinny Galya and rookie Tyler
Smarslok each had two hits for the Cougars while Yera and
McAllister had two apiece for the Rams.
Game Two
Kean pounded out 14 runs and 20 hits, including 11 hits in the
first two frames, as they defeated Farmingdale, 14-2 in game
two.
The Cougars opened the game up in the second inning scoring eight
runs with six hits. Smarslok and catcher Sean
Kelly led things off with singles and freshman
Shane Alvarez drove in the second run of the game
with an RBI single. Junior Lee Cavico
followed with an RBI single of his own and Gregory recorded an RBI
groundout to put Kean ahead, 4-0. Later in the frame senior
Kyle Walker registered an RBI single and Nappe
followed that with a two RBI triple for a comfortable 8-0
lead. Kelly rounded out the scoring with a sacrifice fly.
Offensive highlights from the remainder of the contest included
a two-out, two RBI single by Walker in the third and a solo shot
from Gregory in the fifth, his 11th of the
season.
Sophomore Sam Fourre earned the win in a
predetermined rotation. Fourre (2-1) tossed three innings
allowing just two hits, while fanning two. Junior
Anthony Gionesi suffered the loss for
Farmingdale. Gionesi (0-2) allowed six runs in an inning of
work.
Offensively Kelly, Gregory, Walker and Alvarez each had three
hits for the Cougars while freshman Anthony Ferrante had
two of the Rams five hits in game two.
The Cougars and Rams await the announcement of the NCAA Regional
bracket which is slated to be announced on Monday
morning.
