Union, N.J. (4/30/13) – Senior Kevin Herget fanned 10 as he picked up career win number 28 as the top seeded Kean University baseball team defeated #6 The College of New Jersey, 8-3, in the opening round of the NJAC Tournament.
With the win, the Cougars (31-8) will host #4 Richard Stockton College on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. The win also ensures that Kean, ranked fifth nationally, will host the weekend portion of the tournament bracket with three games on Saturday and one or two on Sunday. With the loss, TCNJ (17-21) will travel to #5 Ramapo College on Thursday for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch.
Herget (pictured left) improved to 7-2 this spring and ties the career win mark at Kean with his 28th victory. In today's action he fanned 10, walked one and allowed three runs.
The Cougars led throughout in today's contest as Kean plated three in the first two innings. Junior Shane Alvarez crossed the plate with the game's first run on a miscue from the Lions. Senior Nick Ramagli then drove in his first of two on the day to give Kean a 2-0 lead after one. Alvarez found the gap in the second inning and recorded an RBI double to push the Cougar lead to 3-0.
TCNJ broke through with two runs in the third as sophomore Josh Limon took a 3-1 pitch up the middle, driving in two. The Cougars responded with a three run fifth for some breathing room. Ramagli, junior Joe O'Connor and rookie Salvatore Taormina all tallied RBI singles in the frame.
Offensively Ramagli was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI while Alvarez and Taormina each collected two hits and two RBI. For the Lions, Limon drove in all three TCNJ runs while sophomore Anthony Cocuzza registered a team-high three hits on the afternoon.
Senior Rob Schneider suffered the loss for TCNJ. Schneider (1-6) allowed six runs, five earned, in five innings.
