Union, N.J. (3/18/22) – The Kean University baseball team shutout visiting New Paltz by the finals of 5-0 and 2-0 on Friday afternoon.

Both Cougar starters tossed complete game gems as the entire 18 innings plus the break took less than four and a half hours on a sunny, 70 degree afternoon.

Game One

Senior Collin Kiernan tossed a perfect game through six innings and only wound up facing one batter over the minimum as he allowed just two singles and a hit batter in the contest.  Kiernan fanned 11 to improve to 4-0 overall this season.

Kean (13-4) scratched across two runs in the third on an unconventional double play.  With one out and the bases loaded, Michael Lapczynski hit a ball to the first baseman.  He threw home for the force and second out, but the return throw to first to try for a double play sailed past first, allowing the other two runners (Philip Mahlik and Timothy Huxen) to score.  Lapczynski would get doubled off after a rundown ensued with him trying to advance to second.

Leading 3-0 in the eighth, Kean added two more with an RBI single from Phil Marcantonio and a sacrifice from Gianni Marano.

Marcantonio, Josh Jackson and Conner DeForge all collected two hits in the opening win.

Game Two

Justin Diefenbach (2-1) followed up the game one gem with one of his own as he tossed a complete game shutout.  He allowed just four singles and one walk while striking out four. 

The Cougars, who collected 12 hits overall, scratched across the game's only runs in the fifth inning as Caleb Rodriguez recorded an RBI sacrifice and DeForge lined an RBI double.

Lapczynski was 3-for-4 while Kyle Adorno, Dylan Beyer, and DeForge all had two hits in the nightcap.

Kean returns to action on Monday when they travel to Alvernia University for a makeup contest.