Union, N.J. (3/25/15) – Junior Chris Amato tossed six innings of shutout relief as the Kean University baseball team edged Keystone College by the final of 3-2 on a cold, rainy afternoon of non-conference action.

Amato (1-0) allowed four hits with two walks and three strikeouts to earn his first win of the year and help the Cougars improve to 13-4 this season.  Reliever Darren Lauer (2-1) suffered his first loss of the year as the Giants fell to 7-4 playing their first game in the northeast after returning last week from Spring Break.

#6/7 Kean jumped out on top in their first at-bat without the aid of a hit as Scott Durkin reached on a four pitch leadoff walk.  He moved into scoring position on a failed pickoff attempt and a well placed groundout from Michael Kendall moved him 90 feet away with one out.  Junior Matt Meleo then recorded a sacrifice RBI for the quick 1-0 advantage.

Keystone took advantage of a Cougar miscue in the top of the third as Dylan Corl reached third base after what was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt.  Julio Lanfranco, who started off the inning with a single, was able to score all the way from first on the play and knot the game at one-all.  One batter later, Louis Reyes lined a shot down the leftfield line, scoring Corl and giving the Giants the one run lead.

The Cougars took the lead for good in their half of the fourth as rookie George Gillies lined a two-out double down the line, scoring Ryan Reitmeyer and Zachary De Leon, who both reached on singles.

From there the game belonged to both relievers and to the Kean defense, as timely double plays and defensive gems from junior Brock Podgurski helped to seal the win.

Nate Ross led all players with a three hit day for the Giants who left 10 runners on base in the loss.

Kean opens up their New Jersey Athletic Conference slate on Saturday when they travel to The College of New Jersey for a doubleheader beginning at 11:30 a.m.