Union, N.J. (5/7/23) - The Kean University baseball team topped Montclair State University, 11-8 in the opener and Rowan University, 7-1 in the nightcap to advance to Monday's finals.

Kean 11, MSU 8

·         Montclair State scored three times in the first two innings, before Gianni Marano put the Cougars on the board with a solo homerun down the left field line in the second.

·         After MSU notched a run in the top half of the third, the Cougars took their first lead of the game at 5-4 behind a two-run homer from Phil Marcantonio, and RBI's from both Justin Teixeria and Caleb Rodriguez.

·         The Red Hawks jumped back in front at 6-5 with a solo homerun and an RBI sacrifice fly.

·         Kean broke the game wide open in the fifth with five runs on four hits for a 10-6 advantage.

·         Rodriguez, Brett Hilsheimer, and Christian Pellone all notched RBI's in thr inning.

·         Pellone added an insurance RBI in the seventh to push the lead to 11-6.

·         MSU threatened late and got back two runs in the eighth, before Noah Rivera shut down the Montclair bats in the eighth and ninth.

·         Kyle Adorno went 3-for-3 with a run scored.

·         Hilsheimer, Pellone, Marcantonio all recorded two hits with two RBI's.

·         Collin Kiernan struck out two batters in six innings pitched for the win.

·         Rivera earned the save with two strikeouts.  

Kean 7, Rowan 1

·         Kean (26-16-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as Christian Pellone launched a two run homer.

·         The Cougars added two more in the seventh as Pellone recorded an RBI single and Gianni Marano lofted a sac fly.

·         Kean added insurance in the ninth as Josh Jackson registered an RBI single and Justin Teixeira lofted a sac fly.  Marano came around to score on an errant throw by the Profs.

·         Pellone was 3-for-5 with three RBI while Marano, Jackson and Brett Hilsheimer all collected two hits.

·         Nolan Rowan (6-3) earned the win after tossing eight and a third innings allowing just one run and six hits.  He walked five and struck out eight.

·         Kean will face The College of New Jersey on Monday at 3:30 p.m.  If the Lions win they are the 2023 NJAC Champions, if Kean wins, it forces a winner-take-all championship between the same two teams tomorrow evening.