UNION, N.J. – William Paterson (12-5, 0-3 NJAC) held a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning, but No. 5/5 Kean (18-4, 3-0 NJAC) rallied for a 9-2 victory April 2.
The Cougars used a Ryan Reitmeyer double, a balk and an RBI-groundout to take a 1-0 lead during the bottom of the third inning.
WP answered with a pair of runs during its next at-bat. Graduate student second baseman AJ Flores (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) drew a leadoff walk, and after a strikeout, freshman first baseman Anthony Hoagland (Dumont, N.J./Dumont) was issued a base on balls. A balk moved the runners up a base, and a groundout by junior third baseman K.C. Abel (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley) plated Flores. Another balk allowed Hoagland to touch the plate and make it a 2-1 Pioneer advantage.
Kean rallied for a five-run seventh. Rookie Matt Krupa started off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position after Ryan Kelley was hit by a pitch. Reitmeyer advanced them 90 feet closer with a sacrifice and Michael Kendall delivered a pinch-hit single to center on the second pitch he saw to give Kean the lead for good. Later in the inning with the bases loaded, sophomore Tyler Heisch widened the gap with a two-RBI soft liner to right. Krupa, batting for the second time in the inning, rounded out the RBIs with a bases-loaded walk.
Kean added three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth as Matt Meleo and Tom McGuckin registered RBI-singles and Heisch added a run-scoring double.
Hoagland finished 2-for-3 and scored a run. Senior Ryan Monaghan (Bergenfield, N.J./Bergenfield) allowed five hits and five runs (four earned) in 6.1 innings, posting a strikeout and two walks (3-1). Junior Frankie Colasante (Paramus, N.J./Paramus) gave up a run on a hit and two walks in 0.1 inning, and freshman Bryan Kopko (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) pitched 0.1 inning of hitless relief. Classmate Mario Danza (Monroe, N.J./Monroe Twp.) surrendered five hits and three runs in 1.0 inning on the mound, registering a strikeout.
Reitmeyer was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored for Kean. Freshman starter Christopher Rossi gave up a pair of runs on a hit and six walks during 5.0 innings, striking out three. Sophomore Richie Ferguson (3-0) tossed the final 4.0 shutout innings and struck out five and walked one, scattering four hits.
William Paterson will host No. 5/5 Kean Friday, April 3, at 1:00 p.m.
For all of the latest information on the Pioneers, visit http://www.wpupioneers.com and http://www.wpupioneers.com/socialmedia.