Jersey City, N.J. (4/13/12) – Senior Steve Sanguiliano picked up his fifth save of the season while also driving in two with a two-run homerun as he helped the #8/9 Kean University baseball team edge New Jersey City University, 8-7, Friday afternoon in NJAC action.

Kean improves to 21-7 this season with a 6-2 mark in conference play.  The Gothic Knights fall to 11-6 this spring and 1-7 in conference action.

The two teams battled for much of the afternoon as Kean held the lead throughout, however the Gothic Knights kept chipping away and crept within one on three occasions, with the tying run in scoring position in the ninth inning.  The Cougars jumped on top with a four-spot in the top of the third as junior Nick Ramagli got things going with an RBI single.  Sophomore Shane Alvarez added one more with a sacrifice fly and Sanguiliano (pictured left) made it 4-0 with a two-run shot, his third of the year.

NJCU responded with three in the same frame as Juan Cruz recorded an RBI single.  Later in the inning Brian Bustillo got the Gothic Knights within one with a two RBI single.

Both teams exchanged single runs in the fourth, but Kean was able to extend the lead adding two runs in the fifth and one more in the sixth to take an 8-4 lead.  The Gothic Knights then closed the margin to just one with a three-run eighth inning.  Michael Patterson provided a two RBI single and NJCU added one more on a suicide squeeze.

Sanguiliano picked up the save after working the ninth allowing just one hit while striking out two.  Rookie Charles Thielmann earned the win to improve to 2-0.  He tossed three and two thirds innings of relief allowing three runs and eight hits with two strikeouts.

Offensively sophomore Tyler Smarslok (pictured right) was 2-for-2 with two RBI and a double, while senior Eddie Jennings was 2-for-3.

The Cougars return to action on Saturday when they host Richard Stockton College for a doubleheader starting at 11:30 a.m.