Ewing, N.J. (4/23/22) – The Kean University baseball team split with host The College of New Jersey falling 2-1 in the opener and winning 5-0 in the nightcap.
Game One
The Lions (15-15) scratched across single runs in the second and third innings for what would be the only needed runs in the contest. With two outs and runners on second and third, leadoff batter Mike Lagravenis fouled off 10 pitches and after a close ball for the next pitch to put the count at 2-2, he then singled to second base to push across the game's first run.
Ryan Goodall recorded a one out double in the bottom of the third and would come around to score on a single from Joe Oczkowski for a 2-0 lead.
The Cougars (29-7) got one back in the top of the fourth as Michael Lapczynski and Josh Jackson singled and doubled respectively to put runners on second and third with one out. Dylan Beyer lofted a sac fly to erase the shutout and cut the deficit in half.
That would be as close as Kean would come as the pitchers took control of the game from there as neither team would score from the fourth inning on.
Ben Amon (3-3) earned the win after tossing seven innings allowing five hits and one run. Chris Cassini picked up the save with two shutout innings.
Collin Kiernan suffered the loss (8-1). He allowed two runs and eight hits while striking out eight in five and two thirds innings. Daniel Chiusano and Nick Nemes tossed two and a third innings of hitless, shutout ball.
Game Two
Kyle Adorno got the offense going with the first pitch of the game as he doubled down the line. He would later score on an RBI single from Philip Mahlik. The Cougars added to their lead in the top of the fifth as they took advantage of some TCNJ miscues. Mahlik recorded an RBI groundout and Lapczynski singled home a run for a 3-0 lead.
The Cougars rounded out the scoring with two more in the seventh as Mahlik registered an RBI single and later scored on an error.
Justin Diefenbach (5-1) tossed eight shutout innings allowing just four hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Daniel Keenan closed out the game with a scoreless ninth inning.
Offensively Mahlik and Lapczynski each had three hits with Mahlik driving in three and Lapczynski one. Adorno and Brett Hilsheimer each scored twice with Adorno collecting two hits.
The Cougars close out the regular season with four NJAC games next week. Kean travels to Montclair State on Thursday.
