Jersey City, N.J. (3/31/18) – The Kean University baseball team split in Saturday action in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opening weekend of play against New Jersey City University.
The Cougars fell in game one, 7-5 and rallied in extra inning in the nightcap, 11-8.
NJCU 7, Kean 5 (Game One)
The Cougars chipped away to a 4-0 lead after four innings. Senior Matt Krupa hit an RBI single in the first, scoring Frank LoGiudice who led off the game with a walk. Kean added two more in the third as Nick Polizzano and Krupa each recorded RBI singles. Brandon Johannessen made it 4-0 with an RBI single in the fourth.
NJCU cut the deficit in half with single runs in the fourth and fifth but took the lead for good with a five spot in the sixth. Kean was plagued by three walks and two errors in the frame, leading to four unearned runs.
Krupa was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Kean 11, NJCU 8 (Game Two)
Kean once again jumped out to an early lead, this time by eight runs (8-0 in the fourth). The bulk of their early lead happened in the fourth with a five spot. Mike Fidanza got things started with a bases loaded walk. Polizzano added to it with an RBI single and Tim Huxen crossed the plate on an error. LoGiudice rounded out the scoring with an RBI double.
The Gothic Knights kept chipping away and tied things up at eight-all in the ninth. Trailing 8-6, NJCU used three Cougar miscues to plate two runs and send the game into extras.
LoGiudice broke the deadlock with a two RBI double and Chris Vetter added insurance with an RBI single.
Freshman Jean Sapini (2-2) got three straight outs with daylight waning in the bottom of the tenth to secure the win.
LoGiudice was 4-for-6 with four RBI while Vetter was 3-for-6 and Fidanza was 3-for-5 with three runs scored.
Kean plays their final non-conference matchup of the year in a newly added game on Monday, April 2nd when they host Drew University at 4 p.m.
