Union, N.J. (4/21/17) – Southpaw Mike Occhi tossed five innings of shutout relief fanning eight as the Kean University baseball team evened the season series with Rutgers-Newark by the final of 5-3.

Occhi improved to 5-0 as he allowed just two hits and no walks in his relief appearance.

It was a see-saw affair as the Cougars (21-12, 7-5 NJAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as a Matt Krupa groundout and a Nick Polizzano double led to two runs. 

The lead was quickly erased as Rutgers-Newark (21-8-1, 8-4 NJAC) knotted the game at two with a wild pitch and an RBI single from Colin Powers.

Kean regained the lead with a single run in the third off a sac fly from Krupa but again the Scarlet Raiders responded and tied the game in the fifth on an RBI groundout from Anthony Perconte.

The final pendulum swing came in the sixth as Krupa doubled home Brian Cole who led off with a walk.  Krupa would come around to score on a balk later in the frame for insurance.

Krupa was 2-for-3 with three RBI to lead Kean while Polizzano was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Anthony Rosoline suffered the loss for the Scarlet Raiders.  Rosoline (3-2) allowed five runs, three earned, in six innings of work.

Kean head to Glassboro to take on Rowan University in a twinbill on Saturday.