Union, N.J. (4/8/11) – Senior Joe Bartlinski fanned 14 in the complete game win as the Kean University baseball team won their 20th game of the season by defeating Rutgers-Camden, 5-2, Friday afternoon in a chilly, rainy affair.
Bartlinski (2-1) allowed eight hits and didn't walk a batter in his first complete game of the season. He was perfect through the first three innings before senior Tom Clarke broke things up with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth.
The Cougars (20-4, 3-1 NJAC)took advantage of four Rutgers-Camden (7-11, 0-4 NJAC) miscues and 11 walks issued in the game while only recording three hits in today's action.
Junior Vinny Galya scored the game's first run in the bottom of the first after leading off with a walk. He would go on to swipe second and after moving over on a groundout would score on a Scarlet Raptor error.
The #4/5 Cougars would tack on two more in the bottom of the fifth as senior Ken Gregory recorded an RBI groundout and freshman Tyler Smarslok scored on a wild pitch.
Kean pushed the lead out to 5-0 in the seventh as senior Nick Nolan scored off an errant pickoff throw. Junior Lee Cavico later recorded an RBI single.
Bartlinski cruised through the matchup and appeared to have the shutout but with two outs in the ninth inning and a runner on first pinch-hitter Ryan Griffith swung through strike three but reached first on a ball in the dirt keeping the inning alive. Sophomore George Spingler then broke up the shutout with an RBI double to right. After junior Joe Merlino single to put runners on the corners and the tying run at the plate, Bartlinski shut the door recording the final out via a fly ball to end the threat.
Junior Jon Swiso was 3-for-4, the only player for either team to record a multiple hit day.
Senior Anthony Cavalier suffered the loss for Rutgers-Camden. Cavalier (3-4) allowed three runs, all unearned, and two hits while walking eight and striking out four.
Kean returns to NJAC action on Saturday when they host rival Montclair State University at 11:30 a.m. Rutgers-Camden hosts New Jersey City University at 12:30 p.m.