Ewing, N.J. (3/29/15) – Senior Charles Thielmann tossed a complete game in the opener and junior Ryan Kelley tallied two doubles in the nightcap as the Kean University baseball team swept The College of New Jersey on Sunday.
In a rescheduled matchup and New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both, #6/7 Kean picked up a 9-3 win in the opener and rallied for a 10-5 win in the nightcap. The 2-0 NJAC start is the first for the Cougars since the 2005 campaign. Overall Kean now stands with a 15-4 record. The Lions fall to 7-7 this spring with the losses.
Game One
The Cougars jumped out early, plating an unearned run in the first and four in the second. A two-run double by catcher Michael Kendall, followed by a two-run single by junior Matt Meleo punctuated the big inning for Kean.
A pair of outfield errors led to another run in the third before Matt Krupa doubled to left-center in the fourth to extend the visitor lead to 7-0.
The Lions strung together four hits in the fourth inning to push across three runs, but that would be all the offense the Lions could muster off of Thielmann (pictured left). He allowed just three other hits along the way to close out the win. Kendall, Krupa, Meleo and Brock Podgurski each finished with two hits for Kean.
Thielmann (2-1) allowed a combined nine hits and two walks while fanning seven in his 14th career complete game and second of the season. Senior Connor Smith (0-3) suffered the loss for TCNJ.
Game Two
A five-run, seventh inning by the Cougars was the difference in the nightcap as they completed the sweep with a 10-5 victory. The game was tied 5-5 entering the seventh, but the Cougars plated five unearned runs to pull away in the contest.
Kean reliever Vinny Zanfordino (1-1) pitched four scoreless innings, scattering two hits and striking out one to earn his first win of the season.
TCNJ bolted to a 2-0 lead in the first, but the Cougars responded with three runs in the top of the third. Sal Taormina led off with a single to center. Anthony Fischetti followed with a single and Podgurski walked to load the bases. Right fielder Kelley then doubled off the base of the fence in right field to drive in a pair. Shortstop Chris Amato lofted a sacrifice fly to center and Kean took a 3-2 lead.
In the third, Gearhart drew a leadoff walk for the Lions. Cocuzza then turned on a 1-0 pitch and drilled it off the fence in left field for a double. Gearhart raced home on a passed ball and then Roberts singled to right score Cocuzza and give TCNJ a 4-3 lead.
The Lions stretched the lead to 5-3 with a two-out rally in the fourth. With two away, Rizzi walked and Gearhart reached on an infield single. Cocuzza recorded a sharp double down the left field line for the RBI.
Kean chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth, the later coming off an RBI double by sophomore Tyler Heisch, tying the game at five-all. The Cougars then took the lead for good with five back-to-back hits, in addition to an error and obstruction in the seventh to take a 10-5.
For the Lions, Cocuzza finished with three hits, including two doubles. Rizzi added two hits and scored twice, while Roberts chipped with two hits and two runs batted in.
Kean got great production out of the bottom of its lineup. Kelley led the Cougar offense with three hits and three RBI. Heisch (pictured right) entered the game in the fifth and finished 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and a run scored. Amato also had two hits and a pair of runs batted in.
Senior Ryan Carmon took the loss, despite giving up no earned runs.
The Cougars return to action on Monday when they host Stevens Institute of Technology in a rescheduled matchup at 3 p.m.
