Union, N.J. (4/14/13) – Senior Nick Ramagli drove in four with two extra base hits as the #1/2 Kean University baseball team completed the season sweep of Rutgers-Newark by the final of 9-2 Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars (24-6, 8-2 NJAC) used a balanced scoring attack, plating runs in five of eight frames. With the win, Kean sits atop of the NJAC standings alone, moving a half game ahead of William Paterson. WPU's rescheduled matchup is slated for Monday afternoon against The College of New Jersey.
Ramagli got things going in the bottom of the first with a two out double. He then crossed the plate on a perfectly placed bunt single from junior Joe O'Connor, giving Kean a 1-0 lead after one. The Cougars added three more in the third and two more in the fourth, giving starter Kevin Herget all the breathing room he needed.
Herget (pictured left) had a no-hitter into the fifth before senior Matt Larangera broke the pace with a single up the middle with one out. The Scarlet Raiders (7-22, 2-8 NJAC) erased the shutout in the seventh as junior Jimmy Napolitano launched his second homerun of the year, a two run blast.
Herget (4-2) picked up the win after tossing seven innings and allowing just three hits. He fanned five and walked four. Junior Nick Zucchero worked two scoreless innings in relief, allowing no hits and walks with one strikeout. Rookie Chris Nichols (0-1) suffered the loss for Rutgers-Newark. Nichols allowed six runs, five earned, in five innings. He walked no one and struck out three.
Offensively, Ramagli was 4-for-5 with a run scored in addition to four RBI. Rookie Salvatore Taormina picked up three hits and teammate Shane Alvarez crossed the plate two times after registering two hits as the Cougars pounded out 15 hits on the day.
Kean enjoys a short break, before matching up in a pivotal NJAC slate vs. William Paterson University and Ramapo College. The Cougars will head to Wayne, N.J. on Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.
