Union, N.J. (4/26/12) – Senior Chris Cirlincione tossed a complete-game shutout to lead the #10/13 Kean University baseball team past #24/28 Ramapo College, 2-0, Thursday afternoon in New Jersey Athletic Conference action.
Circlincione improves to 5-2 this season after scattering four hits with one walk in the win. He also fanned eight in a rare cool, rainy day at Jim Hynes Stadium.
The Cougars stand with a 26-9 overall record and improve to 11-4 in the NJAC, one game behind Montclair State in the current NJAC standings. Ramapo falls to 27-9 this season and 9-6 in conference play.
All of the game's scoring came in the first inning as sophomore Shane Alvarez led off with a single. Freshman Andy Lopez then lined out to leftfield in a hit-and-run attempt, but an errant throw attempting to double-up Alvarez sailed into the first-base dugout, allowing Alvarez to move to third. Senior Steve Sanguiliano followed with an RBI single through the left side, giving Kean what turned out to be the only run they would need. Sanguiliano later scored on a wild pitch for the final scoring of the day.
Ramapo had their best scoring opportunity in their half of the seventh as junior Christian Spurr lined a one-out single. Rookie Ian Osterman followed after a fly-out, with a double down the right field line, putting Roadrunners on second and third with two outs. Cirlincione got out of trouble with a flyball out to end the threat.
Junior PJ Cerreto was the hard-luck loser. Cerreto (7-2) tossed a complete game (eight innings) allowing two unearned runs and five hits. He also fanned eight and walked two.
Offensively, Sanguiliano was 2-for-4 with a run scored and RBI for the Cougars while Spurr finished with two of Ramapo's four hits.
The two teams square off again on Friday in Mahwah, N.J. at 3:30 p.m.