Union, N.J. (2/19/16) – Stevens Institute of Technology used a one-out single in the top of the 10th to edge the Kean University baseball team in the season opener for both by the final of 3-2 on Friday.
#39 Stevens was led by the bottom of the order in Carlos Leon who was 3-for-5.
The Ducks got on board in their first at-bat staging an early two-out rally. Pitcher and designated hitter Jayson Yano worked a four-pitch walk. Another walk put runners on first and second and Nick Sieber delivered with a single in the gap for the game's first run.
The #5/6 Cougars got two runners on via a hit batsman and a walk and took advantage of a fielding miscue in the hole to regain the lead after the first frame, 2-0.
Yano helped himself to leadoff the third with the only extra base hit of the day, a double. A wild pitch moved him 90 feet away and Zeph Walters tied the game up after lofting a sacrifice fly.
Both pitchers (Yano and Michael Occhi) settled down and put up zeros the rest of their outings. Reliever Richie Ferguson pitched his way into and out of trouble in the sixth, seventh and eighth. Kean's best scoring chance came in the bottom of the ninth as senior Andy Lopez started things off with a walk and moved into scoring position with a sacrifice. But Danny McIntyre was able to work out of the jam with two groundouts to preserve the hold.
Michael Mule reached via a walk as the go-ahead run and Leon lined a single into the gap to put runners on the corners with one out. Jonathan Toro singled home the winning run with a single in the hole.
Ryan Patterson earned his first save of the year with a groundout and two strikeouts sandwiched around a walk.
Yano had a no-decision after tossing six innings allowing two unearned runs and three hits with seven strikeouts. Ferguson suffered the loss, the first ever in 21 appearances his collegiate career, after tossing four and two thirds innings of relief with five strikeouts.
The Cougars are right back at it tomorrow when they host Gwynedd Mercy University at 1 p.m.