Union, N.J. (4/28/26) – William Paterson scored the go-ahead run in the 11th to edge the Kean University baseball team, 3-2, in the NJAC tournament.
In the newly adopted single-elimination format, the Cougars are eliminated while the Pioneers move on to face #2 Montclair State.
William Paterson plated a single unearned run in the third and pushed ahead 2-0 in the seventh with two singles worked around two sacrifices.
The Cougars tied things up in the same frame. JT Abrusci scored off a sac fly from Dan Reistle and Nick Sellari connected on an RBI single, scoring Santino Czarecki.
The Pioneers loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the ninth but Noah Rivera entered the game and worked out of the jam with a force out at home plate and a double play to leave the game tied at two-all.
The Cougars had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and seemingly loaded the bases with a base hit in the hole from Justin Teixeira, but the base runner was ruled as touching the batted ball and was called out on the play.
William Paterson worked two walks in the 11th and Matt Caruso delivered with a single in the hole.
The Cougars had runners on the corners with one out in the bottom of the 11th, but a well-timed double play up the middle ended the threat and the game.
Kean will now have to wait until May 11th to find out if they receive an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
