Union, N.J. (2/13/26) – Santino Czarecki lined a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Kean University baseball team a 6-5 win over Drew University on Friday evening.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Tied at five-all in the ninth, Noah Rivera kept the Rangers at bay with two strikeouts while Jude Clough caught the runner at second trying to steal after reaching on a single to bring things to the pivotal bottom of the ninth.

Brett Hilsheimer advanced all the way to second on a throwing error to lead off the frame.  Adam Scire found a way to sacrifice him to third and after a strikeout and intentional walk, pinch-hitter Czarecki came up clutch with a liner over the second baseman's head into the gap to send Kean to the walk-off win.

The teams see-sawed throughout as Drew struck first in their first at bat with an RBI single, scoring an unearned run.

The #4 Cougars (2-0) tied things up in the third as Hilsheimer's groundout drove home Tyler Stone who reached on a leadoff single.

Kean took the lead in the fourth on an RBI double from Nick Sellari and a sac fly from Dominic Masino.

Drew tied things up at three-all in the fifth as Nick Donofrio lined a two run homer to left.

The Rangers took the lead back in the seventh with three singles and a sac fly to push ahead, 5-3, but the Cougars responded as Justin Teixeira found the hole for a two RBI single.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

Masino was 3-for-3 in the leadoff position.  Rivera got the win in relief tossing two scoreless innings, allowing just one single and striking out four.

UP NEXT:

Kean hosts Alvernia University on Saturday at noon.