Union, N.J. (3/29/25) – The Kean University baseball team had a key sweep of #11 Rowan University in a battle of two ranked teams on Saturday afternoon in the NJAC opener for both.
Game One – Kean 6, Rowan 3
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The #12 Cougars (18-5, 2-0 NJAC) lofted solo homers in the second and fourth off the bats of Tyler Stone and CJ Tomalavage. The homeruns are just the second and third given up all season by the Profs and first of the year off starter Mike Shannon.
Tyler Cannon tied things at two-all in the fifth with a bases-loaded single.
Kean went back on top in the same inning as Dominic Masino lofted a sac fly.
The Cougars added insurance in the seventh as Brett Hilsheimer singled home Dan Reistle, who tripled two batters earlier.
Kean added two more in the eighth with an RBI single off the bat of Matthew Del Sol and a bases-loaded walk by Nick Sellari.
The Profs (14-4, 0-2 NJAC) rallied in the ninth for one run with a two-out, bases-loaded walk from Cannon. Closer Jason Basilicata then buckled down for a strikeout to end the threat.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Jason Gilman improved to 7-0 after tossing eight innings. He struck out six and allowed seven hits.
Basilicata earned his fifth save of the season allowing just one hit and one walk. He fanned two.
Offensively Tomalavage and Cannon were the only players with multi-hits in the opener, each recording two.
Game Two – Kean 6, Rowan 5 (10 innings)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Rowan used the long ball in their first at-bat as Phil Sedalis opened the scoring with a solo shot.
Masino tripled for the second time in as many games to start the third and would later score on a double play to knot the game at one-all.
The Profs took advantage of two Kean errors in the sixth and pushed ahead, 4-1. Jason Morgan delivered a two-out, two RBI double.
Kean answered right back and scored three of their own in the same inning. Kyle Adorno and Stone led off the inning with doubles and Reistle later delivered with two RBI on a double of his own.
The Cougars took a one-run lead in the seventh off an RBI single from Adorno.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the eighth as the Profs tied things back up on a two-out, RBI single from Morgan.
Kean delivered in extra innings as Hilsheimer got aboard with a two-out, hit-by-pitch. Masino kept the inning alive after reaching on a throwing error. With runners on the corners, Justin Teixeira pushed across the winning run with a single up the middle.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
Adorno and Stone each collected three hits, an RBI and a run scored.
Morgan registered three RBI for the Profs.
On the mound, Basilicata earned the win in relief. He tossed two and a third shutout innings allowing no runs and no hits.
UP NEXT:
The Cougars host New Jersey City University on Thursday.
