Union, N.J. (4/1/23) – The Kean University baseball team split with visiting Rutgers-Camden in the opening day of New Jersey Athletic Conference play, dropping the opener, 4-3 and winning the nightcap, 5-3.
Game One – Rutgers-Camden 4, Kean 3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Kean (12-11, 1-1 NJAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and third innings. Phil Marcantonio provided an RBI double in the first while Christian Pellone had an RBI single in the third.
Jack Murphy cut the deficit in half with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth and the Scarlet Raptors (12-7, 1-1 NJAC) took the lead with two runs in the fifth. Jacob Watson and Danny Vasquez each collected RBI hits.
The Cougars tied things up in the bottom of the sixth as Gianni Marano lined an RBI single with two outs.
Rutgers-Camden pushed across the winning run in the top of the eighth with an unearned run.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Pellone was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored while Marcantonio and Marano each had two hits and an RBI.
Watson was 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot for Rutgers-Camden.
Gavin Cunard (2-1) earned the win in relief. He allowed just two hits in three and a third innings with three strikeouts.
Game Two – Kean 5, Rutgers-Camden 3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Both teams traded single runs in the first inning before Kean took a one run lead in the second off a sacrifice fly from Tyler Stone.
The Scarlet Raptors tied it up in the third with an RBI single from Andrew Brown, but Kean took the lead for good in the bottom of the same inning as Marcantonio hit his fifth homerun of the season, a two run shot, for a 4-2 lead.
The Cougars added insurance in the fourth as Kyle Adorno registered an RBI single.
Watson scratched across a single run in the ninth for what would be the final.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Marano was 3-for-4 with a run scored while also earning the save. In his second stint of the day, he allowed one run and two hits in an inning and a third of work.
Nolan Rowan picked up the win as he tossed seven and two thirds innings allowing two runs and six hits. He fanned six and walked three to improve to 3-1 on the season.
UP NEXT:
Kean travels to Stockton University on Thursday for a single game matchup.
