Union, N.J. (4/12/12) – Sophomore Joe O'Connor recorded five RBI, including a grand slam, while senior Mike Russo tossed six innings of shutout ball to help the #8/9 Kean University baseball team top New Jersey City University, 14-4, Thursday afternoon in NJAC action.
O'Connor tallied his fifth homerun of the season as part of a six run second inning that helped catapult Kean to their 20th win of the 2012 season. The Cougars (20-7, 5-2 NJAC) are now tied atop of the New Jersey Athletic Conference standings. The loss drops the Gothic Knights to 11-15 overall and 1-6 in conference play as rookie Matthew Wagner led NJCU with a 3-for-3 day with a double and an RBI.
Kean made the score 9-0 in the third with three runs in the bottom of the frame. O'Connor and sophomore Nick Zucchero used back-to-back triples to both record an RBI while sophomore Tyler Smarslok lofted a sacrifice fly to round out the scoring. The Cougars added single runs in the fourth in and fifth innings as Zucchero launched his first homerun of the season, a solo shot, in the sixth.
The Gothic Knights broke up the shutout in their half of the seventh as Wagner and junior Brian Bustillo registered RBI singles to put the score at 11-3. Kean answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the same inning as senior Vinny Galya, rookie Anthony Fischetti and junior Joe Lentini all recorded RBI singles.
Wagner added an RBI double in the eighth for the final of 14-4.
Russo (4-1) allowed just three hits and one walk while fanning four to earn the win. Senior Nelson Maldonado (1-4) suffered the loss allowing six runs and six hits in two innings of work.
Offensively Zucchero was 2-for-3 with four runs scored and two RBI while seniors Dylan Laguna, Steve Sanguiliano and Eddie Jennings along with sophomore Shane Alvarez all finished with two hits in limited action this afternoon.
The two teams square off again on Friday in Jersey City beginning at 3:30 p.m.