Union, N.J. (4/16/21) – The Kean University baseball team split with Ramapo College on Friday in one run games in NJAC action.
Game One – Ramapo 2, Kean 1
It was a battle of Stewarts as Kevin got the start for Kean and Matt for Ramapo. K. Stewart tossed six scoreless, hitless innings and exited with a slim 1-0 lead thanks to a sacrifice fly from Christian Pellone in the third inning.
The Roadrunners only got two hits in the opener, but it proved to be enough as Harold Calero led off the top of the eighth with a single, their first hit of the day. After a strikeout, Justin Grippo lofted a ball to left field that seemed to carry for minutes as it found its way over the wall for a two-run homer and a 2-1 lead.
Matt Stewart (1-1) earned the win after scattering six hits, one run, one walk and recording four strikeouts. Kevin Stewart had a no-decision and struck out eight with four walks. Jeff Millet picked up the save with one and two thirds innings of scoreless, hitless relief and two strikeouts.
Pellone had a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3.
Game Two – Kean 8, Ramapo 7
The nightcap was nothing like the first as the teams combined to leave 26 runners on base as the pitchers combined to walk 17 batters and hit six others.
Ramapo took a 2-1 lead in the third as Sean Donaghue lined a two RBI double to center.
The Cougars got the lead back for good in the fourth as Michael Medvetz led off the inning with a walk followed by a Gianni Marano double to put both runners in scoring position. Zach Joe tied it up with a sacrifice and Marano scored on a wild pitch to give Kean the lead for good.
Leading by a slim 4-3 margin in the fifth, the Cougars scored the necessary runs as Josh Jackson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Conner DeForge added one more with a sacrifice and Timothy Huxen rounded out the scoring with a two RBI single for an 8-3 lead.
After adding a single run in the bottom of the eighth, the Roadrunners (5-5, 4-4 NJAC) made things interesting in their last at-bat as Grippo and Bryan Franko each walked to start the inning. Both runners moved into scoring position with a wild pitch and Brian Baranok drove them both in with a double to left.
With one out, Justin Hernandez entered the game and after getting an out with a sacrifice fly (8-7) he was able to end the threat with a strikeout to end the game.
Hernandez picked up the save while Nick Nemes (2-0) earned the win in relief after appearing in the opener he tossed two and a third innings in the nightcap, allowing no runs and two hits. He fanned three and walked two. Not to be lost in the action was the relief effort of Andrew Case who tossed four and a third innings of relief for Ramapo allowing just one hit with six strikeouts.
Kean (9-8, 4-4 NJAC) will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Rutgers-Newark.
