Port Charlotte, Fla. (3/8/24) – The Kean University baseball team held off a sixth inning rally and defeated #23 Webster University, 7-4, on Friday afternoon in their first game at the Snowbird Baseball Classic.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

The Cougars (8-3) notched a single run in the bottom of the first as Phil Marcantonio doubled home Gianni Marano who reached on a double of his own.

Kean added two more in the second as Tyler Stone scored on a wild pitch after reaching on a single and Caleb Rodriguez recorded an RBI sacrifice, scoring J.T. Abrusci who walked his way on.

Marcantonio lofted a sac fly in the bottom of the third to give Kean a 4-0 advantage.

Webster (5-3) erased the no-hitter with two outs in the fifth as Parker Murro singled to left.

Marcantonio homered in the bottom of the fifth to push the lead out to five.

The Gorlocks broke through in the sixth with four runs, along with six hits, chasing Nolan Rowan who was cruising up until that point.

Kean added insurance in the eighth as Stone tripled with one out.  He came around to score on an RBI single from Rodriguez.  Rodriguez later scored on a bases loaded walk from Kyle Adorno to give the Cougars a 7-4 lead.

Rob Salvatore, who entered the game in the sixth, closed the door in the ninth to earn his first save of the season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Marcantonio was 2-for3 with a double and homer and three RBI.  Stone was 3-for-3 and scored twice.

Nolan (3-1) earned the win while striking out six.  Salvatore allowed just two hits and no walks in three in a third shutout innings.  He fanned four.